Bob Kercher

Robert Frederick Kercher to Catherine (née Beckerle) and John F. Kercher. He attended Reitz Memorial Catholic High School in Evansville, Indiana, where he competed in football, baseball, and track and field. An end in football, he started on championship teams in 1934 and 1935 and was named both all-city and all-state in those years. He was on the 1933, 1934, and 1935 Memorial teams that compiled undefeated records. As a senior in 1935, he was named the city's most outstanding player, and the Evansville Press described him as "probably the best end turned out in a score of years in southern Indiana football".

Kercher graduated from Memorial in 1936. Kercher helped Scarborough to an undefeated record that year and also played basketball there.

College career Kercher enrolled at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., in 1937. He played his last season for Georgetown in 1939, and once again his team went undefeated, although Georgetown recorded one tie in the season. Kercher was selected both All-D.C. and All-Eastern in his two seasons with the Georgetown varsity, and he also played two seasons of varsity baseball and basketball.

Professional career In 1940, Kercher signed with the Paterson Panthers of the American Association (AA), turning down an offer from the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). In addition to end, he was also used at times as a placekicker for the Panthers, scoring a game-winning extra point in a 20–19 win against the Providence Steamrollers. He ended up appearing in nine games for the Panthers, recording four extra points made and one field goal while the team compiled a record of 6–4. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL in July 1941. After not making the team, he was optioned to the Wilmington Clippers of the AA in September 1941. He played in eight of the team's nine AA games, seven as a starter, and helped the Clippers to a record of 4–3–1 and the league championship title.

Kercher re-signed with the Eagles in 1942 but was released and returned to the Clippers, now an independent team. He appeared in eight games, one as a starter, and helped the team compile an undefeated record of 8–0–1. He was released by the Eagles in August 1943. He appeared in two games for the Packers as a backup and was a member of their 1944 NFL championship team. He did not return to the team in 1945, ending his professional career. where he worked for Bovaird Oil Field Supply and was also a manager for LoMar Bowling Supply Store.