Carl Ekern

Carl Ekern

No. 55
Date of birth	May 27, 1954
Place of birth	Richland, Washington
Date of death	August 1, 1990 (aged 36)
Place of death	Ridgecrest, California
Career information
Position(s)	Linebacker
US college	San Jose State
NFL draft	1976 / round: 5/ Pick 128
Career history
As player
1976-1988	Los Angeles Rams
Career highlights and awards
Pro Bowls	1
Career stats
Playing stats at DatabaseFootball.com

Carl Frederick Ekern (May 27, 1954 – August 1, 1990) was an NFL football player.

Biography

Carl Ekern was born in Richland, Washington. He attended Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, CA. Ekern was a graduate of San Jose State University and played pro football from 1976 to 1988 for the Los Angeles Rams. He appeared in the 1985 team promotional video "Ram It", under the name of "Carl E, General of the D." He died of head injuries on August 1, 1990 when the Jeep he was driving ran off a highway near the Kern County town of Ridgecrest, California. At the time of the accident, Ekern was en route to Minden, Nevada, where he was a volunteer counselor and coach at the Rite of Passage, a camp for juvenile delinquents. The camp is located about 15 miles east of Lake Tahoe.

Carl Ekern Spirit of The Game Award

The Carl Ekern award, honoring the former Rams linebacker, is the St. Louis Rams award given to the player who best exemplifies sportsmanship, work ethic, and commitment to his teammates.

External links

• NFL profile
• Carl Ekern football statistics
• Rite of Passage the at-risk youth camp at which Ekern volunteered