Graham Kernwein

Graham Armin Kernwein (October 23, 1904 – January 25, 1983) was an American football halfback who played one season in the National Football League (NFL) for the Racine Tornadoes.

He played college football at Chicago and also had a stint with the Chicago Bears.

Kernwein was born on October 23, 1904, in Claremont, Illinois, to Armin and Cora Kernwein.

He graduated from Wenona High School in 1922.

He was recruited to the University of Chicago, showing "great promise" in his first season on the football team (1923).

Playing halfback, Kernwein was reported by the Chicago Tribune as "displaying considerable brilliance at finding the holes [in the line]."

He was "used considerably" by coach Amos Alonzo Stagg, with The Pantagraph writing that Kernwein "is regarded as the best bet to succeed John Thomas and Willis Zorn" in 1924.

Kernwein "continue[d] to improve" as a junior in 1924, earning his first varsity letter.

In 1925, The Daily Times reported that "Kernwein has been playing left half-back for the Maroons since the season opened and his stellar open-field running in the Big Ten games that Chicago has played so far this season has enabled Coach Stagg's proteges to defeat Purdue, Northwestern and tie Ohio State."

A profile in the Chicago Tribune said "He's a triple threat athlete, with a few more threats tacked on for good measure. He can carry the ball, pass and kick. He can play brilliantly on defense, run fine defense, and he can think ... His speed is one of his greatest assets on the gridiron."

While at Chicago, Kernwein also competed in track, with his specialty being the 220 meters, where his best time was 22 seconds.

A report in the Wenona Index following his second-to-last collegiate football game said the following:

"Wenona has never won any fame as a football center, but can claim distinction this year by producing two lads who have cut a wide swath in state football circles. We refer to Graham Kernwein, star halfback of the University of Chicago eleven, and William Metzger of Bradley Poly ... Naturally Wenona is proud of those two lads, and follow them as closely in their weekly exploits as if they were world champions. Kernwein was the one outstanding star on the Chicago squad Saturday, sharing honors with the giant Swede Oberlander of Dartmouth. This is what Morrow Krum in the Tribune, had to say of Kernwein:

'Then there was Graham Kernwein, wearing the Maroon and fighting the greatest battle of his life.

Be it known that Kernwein is a senior, yesterday he played in the next to last game of his career.

Be it also known that he was publicly reproved by Stagg for singing before a football game.

Also be it known that Kernwein made the fumbles at Champaign that gave Illinois a victory.

Not an optimistic record.

But Kernwein stepped out onto the gridiron and played football until he could not walk.

They carried him off the field, limp and choking, grief stricken because he could not go on.

In the interim between the time the game started and Kernwein was carried out, the 170 lb, back was an Atlas that held the Maroon team shoulder high.

Kernwein did all the kicking.

He smashed into the Green time after time.

He threw and caught forward passes.

And in the third quarter Kernwein lay on the ground after a play.

His leg was raised in the air.

It had been twisted.

He couldn't lower it.

Jimmy Johnson, Chicago trainer, rushed to make an observation.

Kernwein waved him away and in another moment was on his feet.

He staggered through the next play and the next smashing Dartmouth interference.

Then after the leg had been all but broken, Kernwein took the ball and started one of the greatest rallies in Maroon history by smashing around Dartmouth's left end and swinging back through the center of the Green backfield for a touchdown.

Later, in the last period, the players unscrambled themselves.

All but Kernwein rose.

He was down, down for the last time in yesterday's game.

He was played out, exhausted.

But Kernwein had redeemed himself.

Last night he was the Midway hero and he will be for a long time.

He could not win, but he gave everything he had.'"

After graduating in 1926, Kernwein was awarded the Big Ten Conference Medal, given to a senior in each school who "has shown superiority in athletics and in scholarship."