Carl Ekern
| No. 55 | |
| Date of birth | May 27, 1954 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Richland, Washington, U.S. |
| Date of death | August 1, 1990 (aged 36) |
| Place of death | Ridgecrest, California, U.S. |
| 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 | |
| |
Carl Frederick Ekern (May 27, 1954 – August 1, 1990) was a National Football League (NFL) linebacker.[1]
Biography[edit]
Ekern was born in Richland, Washington. He attended Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, California. 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 1986 Rams promotional video, Let's Ram It,[2] under the name of "Carl E, General of the D."[3]
Ekern 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.[4][5]
Carl Ekern Spirit of The Game Award[edit]
The Carl Ekern award, honoring the former Rams linebacker, is the Los Angeles Rams award given to the player who best exemplifies sportsmanship, work ethic, and commitment to his teammates.[6]
References[edit]
- ^ Ekern is a Norwegian name (Origin of The Name Ekern) Archived 2011-06-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Rams". Los Angeles Times. November 13, 1986. p. 129. Retrieved April 18, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Ram IT (NFL Rams Football Team) Song". Archived from the original on 2014-09-05. Retrieved April 17, 2018 – via YouTube.
- ^ Ex-Spartan, Rams Star Ekern Killed In Accident (San Jose Mercury News, August 2, 1990, page 1E)
- ^ Carl Ekern, Football Player, 36 (New York Times. August 4, 1990)
- ^ Rams Team Awards (The official site of the St. Louis Rams)[permanent dead link]
External links[edit]
- NFL profile
- Carl Ekern football statistics
- Rite of Passage the at-risk youth camp at which Ekern volunteered
 | This biographical article relating to an American football linebacker born in the 1950s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1954 births
- 1990 deaths
- American football linebackers
- San Jose State Spartans football players
- Los Angeles Rams players
- National Conference Pro Bowl players
- Sportspeople from Sunnyvale, California
- Players of American football from Santa Clara County, California
- Sportspeople from Richland, Washington
- American football linebacker, 1950s birth stubs