# Perry Graves > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Perry_Graves > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Perry_Graves.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_Graves > Source revision: 1323300490 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American football player (1889–1979) Not to be confused with [Perry Groves](/source/Perry_Groves). Perry Graves Illinois Fighting Illini Position End Personal information Born (1889-09-06)September 6, 1889 Rockford, Illinois, U.S. Died January 9, 1979(1979-01-09) (aged 89) Robinson, Illinois, U.S. Career information College Illinois (1913–1915) Awards and highlights Consensus All-American (1914) First-team All-Western (1914) **Perry Henry Graves Sr.** (September 6, 1889 – January 9, 1979), was an All-American football player who played [end](/source/End_(American_football)) for the [University of Illinois](/source/University_of_Illinois) from 1913 to 1915. In later life, he owned lumber companies. ## Biography A native of [Rockford, Illinois](/source/Rockford%2C_Illinois), Graves graduated from Rockford High School before enrolling at the University of Illinois.[1] He played at the [end](/source/End_(American_football)) position on [Robert Zuppke](/source/Robert_Zuppke)'s 1914 football team that won the [Western Conference](/source/Big_Ten_Conference) championship and tied Army for the national championship. Graves was a speedy, 148-pound end while starting for the Illini football team in 1914.[2] In 1914, Graves and teammates [Harold Pogue](/source/Harold_Pogue) and [Ralph Chapman](/source/Ralph_Chapman_(American_football)) became the first University of Illinois football players to be selected as first-team All-Americans.[3] Graves was selected as a first-team All-American by [Frank G. Menke](/source/Frank_G._Menke), sporting editor of the [International News Service](/source/International_News_Service).[4] After graduating from the University of Illinois, he worked as a lumber salesman for nine years. He moved to [Robinson, Illinois](/source/Robinson%2C_Illinois), in 1925 and became a partner in the Otey Lumber Company. Graves later acquired the interest of his partner, and the business was renamed the Robinson Lumber Company. Graves acquired the Palestine Lumber Co. and the Oblong Lumber Co. and established the Hutsonville Lumber Co. He also officiated Big Ten football games for 22 years.[2] He served as President of the Robinson Chamber of Commerce and was a member of several fraternal organizations, including the Moose, Elks and Masons.[1] White was married to Marvel White. Their son, Perry Graves Jr., received Silver Stars for his service in both [World War II](/source/World_War_II) and the [Korean War](/source/Korean_War). Their other three sons, Dean, Parker and Howard also served in World War II.[1] Sons Parker and Perry Jr. followed in their fathers footsteps and worked in the lumber business. Their sons Hank and John Graves managed the lumber company until John sold the business and retired in Henderson, North Carolina. Son Howard used the GI bill to go to college and finally joined the news-gathering service, Associated Press. He retired as a bureau chief in Honolulu, Hawaii, after stints in Little Rock, Arkansas; Portland, Oregon; Albuquerque, New Mexico and then again in Portland, Oregon. Through his career he was the national president of the Society of Professional Journalist, Sigma Delta Chi, a journalistic ethics association. He is married to Audrey Graves with two sons, Carson and Graham Graves. He also has a granddaughter, Kate Graves who lives in Edmonds, Washington. Perry Graves retired from the lumber business in 1955 and continued to live in Robinson, Illinois. Graves died in January 1979 at age 89. At the time of his death, he was the second oldest living All-American ([Hamilton Fish III](/source/Hamilton_Fish_III) was the oldest.)[5] ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CCHS_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CCHS_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-CCHS_1-2) ["Perry Graves"](https://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilcchs/Biographies/PerryGraves.html). Crawford County Historical Society. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Star_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Star_2-1) ["Little Change in Football for Old Star"](https://web.archive.org/web/20191215072823/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_WAdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4VoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5954,970968&dq=perry-graves+illinois&hl=en). *The Victoria Advocate*. September 5, 1975. Archived from [the original](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_WAdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4VoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5954,970968&dq=perry-graves+illinois&hl=en) on December 15, 2019. Retrieved September 21, 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["All-America Selections"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110609134210/http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/FBHist-All_AmericaSelections.html). University of Illinois. Archived from [the original](http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/FBHist-All_AmericaSelections.html) on June 9, 2011. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** "Menke Selects Annual All-American Eleven". New Castle News. November 25, 1914. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Obit_5-0)** ["Perry Graves, Sr"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IUAxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hwIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1933,5395015&dq=perry-graves+illinois&hl=en). *The Blade (Toldedo, OH) (AP story)*. January 10, 1979. ## External links - [Perry Graves](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/177720569) at [Find a Grave](/source/Find_a_Grave) v t e 1914 Illinois Fighting Illini football—national champions Ralph Chapman George Clark Sylvester Derby Thomas B. Fullerton Perry Graves Bart Macomber Harold Pogue Jack Watson Head coach Robert Zuppke Assistant coach Justa Lindgren v t e 1914 All-America college football team consensus selections Backfield QB Charley Barrett HB Eddie Mahan HB John Maulbetsch HB Johnny Spiegel FB Harry LeGore Line E Perry Graves E Huntington Hardwick E John O'Hearn T Harold Ballin T Walter H. Trumbull G Ralph Chapman G Stan Pennock G Clarence Spears C John McEwan --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Perry Graves](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_Graves) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_Graves?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.