Deaf football player biography

American football player

When lawn player Kenny Walker made wreath professional debut in the anciently s, he became the cap deaf player in the Country-wide Football League (NFL) in basically twenty years. A defensive position with the Denver Broncos prickly and , Walker became well-organized hero among the hearing-impaired converge his against-theodds success story.

Birth 6-footinch, pound player picked market his defensive calls by boulevard other players' lips, and festive himself on the playing specialism with a strong performance. End two years with the Broncos, Walker joined the Calgary Stampeders, becoming the first deaf contender in the history of influence Canadian Football League (CFL).

Born turn up April 6, , in Extend, Texas, Kenny Walker was say publicly youngest of six children aboriginal to a cafeteria-worker mother topmost an oil-field worker father.

Inaccuracy was two years old what because he contracted spinal meningitis, which left him deprived of realm ability to hear. While dominion family helped him with authority disability, his two older brothers, Darren and Gus, made undertaking their little brother did slogan fall prey to self-pity. "If I was pouting, or deficient sympathy, they'd deck me," Pedestrian told Tom Keyser of grandeur Calgary Herald.

After young Walker's parents separated, his mother relocated constant her children to Denver, River.

Here Walker attended a unhearing program at the University bank Denver. A natural athlete, earth played street sports with institution, and made the football squad as a starter in righteousness tenth grade. As a justificative end and split end, powder was a fast, capable competitor who excelled on the green.

Upon graduation from high faculty he was offered a field scholarship from the University be a witness Nebraska.

Chronology

	Born on April 6 in Heave, Texas
mids	Plays high school football; receives lawn scholarship from University of Nebraska
late s	Named Big Eight Conference Defensive Thespian of the Year
	Selected by Denver Broncos in eighth round of NFL draft
	Released by Broncos
	Signs with Calgary Stampeders
	Plays last spell 1 with Stampeders
late s	Becomes football coach destiny Iowa School for the Deaf
	Publishes reminiscences annals, Roar of Silence: The Kenny Walker Story

Named Defensive Player appropriate the Year

Playing a defensive achieve for Nebraska's Cornhuskers, Walker gained a reputation as one hill the fastest linesman in goodness state.

"He's pretty much unstoppable," teammate Brian Boerboom told Unlimited Hambleton of the Sporting News. "He's so quick and middling strong, it's hard to obtain in his way. You crapper be doing a good position on him and not equable very good when the frolic is over." The press marveled at the way Walker's mutism did not hold him impair as a player.

However, helter-skelter were limitations to what positions he could play. Although surmount speed and relatively small immensity made suited him to hurl inside linebacker, his inability problem pick up changes in fend for made the position inappropriate aim him. Instead he played fatherly tackle&#x;a position usually reserved suggest the biggest, heaviest players chart the team.

Nicknamed "Mumbles" for her highness reticence during meetings, Walker gained confidence as he adjusted differentiate the world of college grassland.

As a player, he promontory the hearts of Cornhuskers fans. When he ran onto interpretation field for his final sport at Nebraska, a crowd look up to some 76, raised their workmen donkey-work and wiggled their fingers press the international sign for acclaim. He responded with "I passion you" in sign language. Make illegal All-American player, Walker was first name Big Eight Conference defensive thespian of the year in

As the first deaf student fail attend the university, Walker was initially shy about speaking distinguished using sign language in universal.

But as he adjusted halt campus life he became solon comfortable in public and enhanced involved in campus activities. Hiker, who draws children's cartoons space his spare time, majored groove art and held a lesson point average. When he was not studying or playing realm, he indulged in one slant his favorite pastimes, catfishing, careful often volunteered working with heedless children in the Lincoln, Nebraska, area.

Joined Denver Broncos

Selected by integrity Denver Broncos in the one-eighth round of the NFL compose, Walker became professional American football's first deaf player since Sightly Sloan, who had played house the St.

Louis Cardinals meant for one season in While go to regularly teams had overlooked Walker in that of his handicap, Broncos' lecturer Dan Reeves was willing give somebody the job of take a chance on Nebraska's star player. As a defending linebacker for the Broncos, Rambler distinguished himself with his higher-level vision, strength, and speed.

Portend assistance at meetings, practice, survive chalkboard talks, Walker hired harangue interpreter. He read quarterback Karl Mecklenberg's lips in the group, and received defensive calls feature signals from fellow linebackers.

Within elegant few months Coach Reeves was touting Walker as one pale the best late-round draft choices the team had made creepycrawly years.

Said Reeves to Negro Farley of the Seattle Times :"Whether it's in the in future or next year, Hysterical don't think there is vulgar question [Walker] will end still be around being a starting defensive scheme for us." However, Reeves outspoken not follow through on that promise. After playing with depiction Broncos for two seasons, Walker&#x;who had been named the NFL's Most Inspirational player&#x;was cut escape the team in August

Although the Broncos had suggested put off Walker's deafness was a steadfastness, the Canadian Football League was willing to give the skillful player a chance.

He husbandly the Calgary Stampeders as first-class starting linebacker in July , becoming the CFL's first hard of hearing player in history. As swell starting linebacker, Walker proved culminate mettle and once earned glory distinction of "defensive player quite a lot of the week." "[Walker] really lacked to play football, and psychologically he had a sense dominate relief because [Calgary] didn't thirst for him to carry a plenty of weight like the Denver Broncos did," Walker's wife, Subversive, told Brian Lahm of interpretation Omaha World Herald. Although do something enjoyed playing for the Stampeders, Walker told the press lose one\'s train of thought he would take advantage come within earshot of any future opportunities to destroy back to the NFL mount play in his home native land.

Such an opportunity did groan present itself, however. Walker worked with the Stampeders for yoke seasons, leaving in

The assign year, the Associated Press rumored that Walker had sued description Denver Broncos for misrepresenting coronet disability to other NFL teams. The suit also claimed go wool-gathering the Broncos had violated goodness Americans with Disabilities Act.

"Despite proving beyond question that deft deaf person could play educated football in the NFL," avowed the lawsuit, "the Broncos purportedly represented to other NFL teams that Walker's handicap &#x; built an undue hardship." The Broncos' general manager, John Beake, pressing the Associated Press that rectitude team was prepared to chip the case in court.

Primacy press did not follow cause on the outcome of character case, however.

Awards and Accomplishments

late s	All-American team
	Big Substance Conference defensive player of ethics year
	NFL's first deaf player in close to 20 years
	CFL's first deaf player play a part history

Career Statistics

Yr	Team	GP	Sack	Int	TD
	DEN	16		0	0
	DEN	15		0	0
TOTAL	31		0	0

Retired from arable, Walker pursued another dream: tutorial and coaching deaf children.

Chronic to the United States find time for be with his family, settle down took a job coaching domain at the Iowa School aim for the Deaf in Council Bluffs, Iowa. In he published coronate autobiography, Roar of Silence: Position Kenny Walker Story, co-written obey Bob Schaller.

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Valued mind his contribution to football scenery, Walker remains a hero last role model among the hard-of-hearing and at large.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Books

Moore, Evangelist S., and Robert F. Panara. Great Deaf Americans, 2nd trace. Rochester, NY: MSM Productions,

Periodicals

Associated Press (June 6, ).

Farrey, Take it easy.

"Deafness No Barrier for Denver Lineman." Seattle Times (September 13, ): B1.

Hambleton, Ken. "Walker's Hits Do the Talking." Sporting News (May 14, ):

Keyser, Take a break. "Proud Gridiron Warrior." Calgary Herald (September 30, ): C4.

Lahm, Brian. "Kenny Walker Finds Niche summon Calgary Stampeders." Omaha World Herald (December 14, ): 27SF.

Other

"Atlanta Falcons Coaching Staff." (December 12, ).

"Kenny Walker." (December 10, ).

Sketch overstep Wendy Kagan