Keith Birlem
| No. 23 | |
| Date of birth | May 4, 1915 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | San Jose, California, United States |
| Date of death | May 7, 1943 (aged 28) |
| Place of death | Polebrook, East Northamptonshire, England, United Kingdom |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | End |
| US college | San José State |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1939 | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1939 | Washington Redskins |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Honors | San José State Hall of Fame[1] |
| Career stats | |
| |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service |  U.S. Army Air Forces |
| Years of service | 1942 |
| Rank |  Major |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
Keith G. Birlem (May 4, 1915 – May 7, 1943) was an American football end in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and Chicago Cardinals.
Early life
Birlem was born San Jose, California and attended San Mateo High School.[2]
Football career
Birlem attended and played college football at San José State University, where he played quarterback. He was inducted into their Sports Hall of Fame.[1] He then played in the National Football League for the Chicago Cardinals and Washington Redskins in 1939; he was moved to end as a Cardinal and appeared in six games (starting three) before being released and signing with Washington.[3]
Military career
Birlem, who reached the rank of major during World War II, was killed trying to land a combat-damaged B-17 bomber at RAF Polebrook[4] in England in 1943.[5] His bomber hit another plane and cut the tail off of it. Both crashed near the perimeter of RAF Polebrook and all 20 inside both planes died.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Hall of Fame Members" (PDF). SJSUSpartans.com. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
- ↑ "Keith Birlem profile". DatabaseFootball. Archived from the original on February 17, 2010. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
- ↑ Anton, Todd; Nowlin, Bill (November 15, 2013). When Football Went to War. Triumph Books. pp. 45–46. ISBN 978-1600788451.
- ↑ "CIF/Central Coast Section Athletic Alumni" (PDF). Central Coast Section. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2008. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
- ↑ "The National Football League's World War II Casualties". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 23, 2009.[permanent dead link]
External links
- 1915 births
- 1943 deaths
- Players of American football from San Jose, California
- American football tight ends
- San Jose State Spartans football players
- Chicago Cardinals players
- Washington Redskins players
- United States Army Air Forces personnel killed in World War II
- United States Army Air Forces officers
- Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in England
- Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1943
- United States Army Air Forces bomber pilots of World War II
- San Mateo High School alumni