Emlen Tunnell
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No. 45
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| Defensive back |
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Personal information
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| Date of birth: (1925-03-29)March 29, 1925 |
| Place of birth: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania |
| Date of death: July 22, 1975(1975-07-22) (aged 50) |
| Place of death: Pleasantville, New York |
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Career information
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| College: Iowa |
| Undrafted in 1948 |
| Debuted in 1948 for the New York Giants |
| Last played in 1961 for the Green Bay Packers |
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Career history
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Playing career
Coaching/Executive career
- New York Giants (1963-1965)
(Scout)
- New York Giants (1965-1973)
(Assistant head coach)
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Career highlights and awards
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- 9× Pro Bowl selection (1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959)
- 8× All-Pro selection (1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957)
- 2× NFL champion (1956, 1961)
- NFL 1950s All-Decade Team
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Career NFL statistics
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| Pro Football Hall of Fame |
Emlen Lewis Tunnell (March 29, 1925 – July 22, 1975) was an American football player. He was the first African American to play for the New York Giants,[1] and was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1967. He played in the National Football League for the Giants and Green Bay Packers. Tunnell played college football at the University of Iowa.
In 1999, Tunnell was ranked number 70 on The Sporting News' list of 100 Greatest Football Players.
Tunnell died of a heart attack on July 22, 1975.
College career [edit]
Tunnell joined the University of Iowa football team in 1946 after two years in the United States Coast Guard during World War II.[2] He started as a quarterback, halfback and on defense during his two years as a Hawkeye. He led the team in passing in the 1946 season and receiving during the 1947 season.[3] He quit the team before the 1948 season in order to join the New York Giants.[3]
Tunnell played 14 years in the National Football League. He played his first 11 years with the New York Giants and the last three years with the Green Bay Packers. He was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection. He ended his career with a record 79 interceptions (since surpassed by Paul Krause).[3] He was elected as the first African American in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967.[3] He became a scout and assistant coach with the Giants, where he died from a heart attack during a practice session in 1975. Tunnell began his pro career by hitchhiking across the country from Iowa to New York City to meet Jack Mara, son of Giants founder Tim Mara, and ask to try out for the team.[4] In his Hall of Fame induction speech, Tunnell thanked the West Indian banana-truck driver who dropped him off near this Polo Grounds "appointment".[5]
References
Tunnell, Emlen and William Gleason, "Footsteps of a Giant", Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Company, 1966. Library of Congress number 65-19776. Tunnell's autobiography.
External links [edit]
