Leonard Louis Charpier (February 17, 1897 – October 3, 1947) was an American football player. He was sometimes known by the nickname "Tank" and was "rated as one of the hardest hitting fullbacks who ever donned a moleskin."[1]
| Personal information | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born: | February 17, 1897 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | ||||
| Died: | October 3, 1947 (aged 50) Evergreen Park, Illinois, U.S. | ||||
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 235 lb (107 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| College: | Illinois | ||||
| Position: | Fullback, halfback, guard | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||
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Charpier was born in 1897 in Chicago. He attended the University of Illinois where he played freshman football as a guard in 1915 and varsity football, again as a guard, in 1916. He was selected by Walter Eckersall on the 1916 all-conference team.[2] In 1917, he played at the fullback position for Illinois.[3] The Daily Illini noted at the time: "Being almost as broad as he is tall he is rather hard to tackle and it must be an almost perfect tackle to bring him down. . . . The real superiority of Charpier lies in his ability to run ends. The opponents are never sure when he intends to punt or run."[4]
He later played semipro football as a fullback position for the Pullman Thorns from 1918 to 1919 and the combined Chicago Thorns-Tornadoes team in 1920.[5][6]
He also appeared in one game for the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL) at the end of the 1920 season.[7] He appeared as the right halfback position for the Cardinals in a loss to the Chicago Staleys on December 5, 1920.[8]
Charpier later became a medical doctor, working in the Roseland section of Chicago for more than 25 years. He died in 1947 of a heart attack at the Little Mary of Hospital in Evergreen Park, Illinois.[7][9]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Bucheit Heads List of 'I' Comebackers". The Daily Illini. October 28, 1920. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "All Critics Pick Macomber For All-Conference Captain". The Daily Illini. November 28, 1916. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Badgers Beaten by Lack of Punch". The Wisconsin State Journal. October 21, 1917. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Zuppke Holds Advantage Over Coach Stagg's Men". The Daily Illini. October 31, 1917. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Pullman Thorns Bump Gary, 22-0 Charpier, Former Illinois Star, Sparkls at Fullback for Winning Eleven". The Times. November 25, 1918. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Charpier Bucks Thorns To Win". Chicago Tribune. October 20, 1919. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Len Charpier". Pro Football Archives.
- ^ "Staleys Defeat Cardinals, 10-0". The Dispatch. December 6, 1920. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Dr. Leonard Louis Charpier". Chicago Tribune. October 4, 1947. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
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