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John Tanner

1897 – 1976

American football player

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About John Tanner

Lived 1897 – 1976 (aged 79). John Tanner was an American american football player.

John Portor "Hump" Tanner (December 3, 1897 – December 23, 1976) was an American professional football player in the early National Football League (NFL) with the Toledo Maroons, Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Bulldogs. He began his football playing at Owensboro High School. He then played at the college level for Centre College.

He played for the Praying Colonels in the infamous 1921 Centre vs. Harvard football game. The Colonels (under coach Charley Moran) shocked Harvard University and became the first school ever from outside the East to beat one of the Ivy League's "Big Three" of Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.

Tanner was a teammate as well as close friend of Jim Thorpe, who was considered the greatest athlete of his era.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Centre College
Also known as
John Portor Tanner, Hump Tanner

People in John Tanner's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Tanner's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Tanner?

American football player (1897–1976)

When was John Tanner born?

John Tanner was born on 3 December 1897 in Owensboro.

When did John Tanner die?

John Tanner died on 23 December 1976 in Kentucky, Owensboro, Kentucky.

What was John Tanner's occupation?

John Tanner was an american football player.

What nationality was John Tanner?

John Tanner was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Tanner

· Wikidata: Q16072706

· DBpedia: John Tanner (American football, born 1897)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Tanner. https://biography.guide/john-tanner-american-football-player/

MLA: "John Tanner." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-tanner-american-football-player/.

Chicago: "John Tanner." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-tanner-american-football-player/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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