Clarence Peaks was a three sport star at Flint Central High School (football, basketball and baseball). He played right field on the baseball team and was batting No. 4 clean-up hitter in 1952 and 1953. In basketball he was the second leading scorer on the team, averaging 13 points a game. Peaks was voted co-captain of the basketball team and named All-Valley guard in 1953. He was also voted Most Valuable Player in basketball in 1953. Later on, Peaks was a professional American football fullback in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Michigan State University and was drafted in the first round of the 1957 NFL draft.