Emlen Lewis Tunnell, sometimes known by the nickname "The Gremlin", was an American football player and coach.
Background
Tunnell was born on March 29, 1924 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania/
Tunnell grew up in the Garrett Hill neighborhood of Radnor Township, approximately eight miles northwest of Philadelphia. His parents were divorced when Tunnell was young, and he and three siblings were raised by his mother, Catherine, who worked as a housekeeper in the homes of wealthy families in the Philadelphia Main Line area. His sister, Vivian, recalled Garrett Hill as a multi-ethnic neighborhood where "everybody mingled", and her brother "learned from his environment – be yourself, but adapt to others who might be different in the group. "
Education
Tunnell attended Radnor High School where he was a star halfback in 1940 and 1941.
Career
While playing football for the University of Toledo, his sports career and possibly his life almost ended when he broke his neck. Although he recovered, Tunnell was rejected by the U. S. Army and Navy during World War II due to the injury.
Undeterred, he joined the U. S. Coast Guard, with Tunnell twice noted for his remarkable bravery. During a 1944 attack in Papua New Guinea and the resulting torpedo explosion, Tunnell saved a fellow seaman aboard the USS Etamin who was lit ablaze. Around two years later, Tunnell suffered from shock and hypothermia after jumping into frigid waters to rescue a shipmate who'd fallen from the Coast Guard Cutter Tampa.
After the war, Tunnell began a football career at the University of Iowa. Leaving Iowa after the 1947 season, Tunnell made his way to New York and, showing up unannounced, asked for a tryout with the Giants. He eventually received a contract from the team, making him the first African American to play for the New York Giants. At more than 6 feet tall, Tunnell became a crucial part of the team's defensive lineup. Spending a decade as a part of the Giants, the stellar safety and defensive back helped his team win the 1956 National Football League Championship against the Chicago Bears. In addition to his outstanding skills on the field, Tunnell was also admired for his easygoing demeanor.
Tunnell joined the Green Bay Packers in 1959 under coach Vince Lombardi, and was soon recognized for playing an important role in his new team's defensive strategy. In 1961, he assisted the Packers in winning the NFL Championship against his old team, the Giants. Retiring after that season, Tunnell had an amazing 79 career interceptions—a record surpassed only by Paul Krause, who made 81. Tunnell set several other NFL records during his career, including most punt returns—262 for 2, 217 yards—which has since been broken.
After leaving the field at the end of the 1961 season, Tunnell remained close to the action. He joined the New York Giants as a scout, later becoming the first African American to be a full-time NFL assistant coach. (He was specifically appointed defensive backs coach. ) He had published his autobiography, Footsteps of a Giant.
Emlen Tunnell died of a heart attack on July 22, 1975, in Pleasantville, New York.