Hall of Fame
Brenkert, a native of Highland Park and graduate of Detroit Central HS, is Wayne State's earliest athletic star in school's history. He captained the 1918 Detroit Junior College football squad, as WSU was known then, earning his only varsity letter that year. In 1936 Brenkert would receive an honorary football letter for his significant support and contributions to Wayne football. Hall of Fame member David L. Holmes was named DJC's first football coach, and he brought in a highly successful four-sport star in Brenkert to lead his first team. As a prep at Detroit Central, Brenkert was captain of his senior football team, earning a position on the All-State Eleven as a right halfback, and in track Brenkert helped Central win the first ever City prep meet in 1918. Brenkert was a short sprinter in track. DJC's first team was a tremendous success. The Munies, their unofficial nickname then, went 4-0-0, and outscored their opponents 100-0, the only season Wayne has never been scored upon. Detroit Junior College also recorded a 6-0 win over cross-town rival Univ. of Detroit, the only time WSU would ever notch a victory against the Titans. As the quarterback, Brenkert scored nine touchdowns and 57 points, which stood for over three decades as the school's records. After the 1918-19 academic year was finished, Brenkert was successfully recruited by Washington & Jefferson College in Pennsylvania, where he received a football scholarship. In the late 1910's Wayne was a two-year undergraduate college, and Brenkert would have had to leave DJC after the 1919 season in any case. With the Presidents, Brenkert would achieve even greater collegiate success. Playing at right halfback and quarterback, he lettered four seasons, in 1919, '20, '21 and '22. In those days players played as long as they were enrolled in school. Brenkert's most memorable season came in 1921. Leading the Presidents to a perfect 10-0-0 regular season record, with only four opponents scoring a total of 11 points against W&J, and a 14-2 win over the Univ. of Detroit in front of 22,000 at Navin Field, the Presidents were rewarded with a trip to the 1922 Rose Bowl, on the basis of wins over Pittsburgh and West Virginia that year. Washington & Jefferson was considered to be the Eastern team in '21, and would face the best Western team, the California Golden Bears. Entering the Rose Bowl, the Presidents were declared underdogs. In the previous Rose Bowl, California had blanked Ohio State 28-0. And the Presidents had another handicap - the school could afford to send only 11 players, who had to play the entire 60 minutes of the contest. But the game was not what was expected. The Presidents played a swarming, pursuit defense, and would set a record that day, allowing the Bears to record no first downs and yielding only 49 total yards. Despite several scoring chances, however, including one apparent touchdown scored by Brenkert, W&J had to settle for the only scoreless tie in Rose Bowl history. In the first quarter Brenkert crossed the goal line after a run of 35 yards from punt formation (he also punted for W&J). On the play, however, All-America Russ Stein was called offside, negating the tally. The 1922 Rose Bowl ended in a 0-0 score. Brenkert captained his senior team, which finished 6-3-1, and was named to the Walter Camp's 1922 All-America Team. Upon graduation with a Bachelor degree in 1923, Brenkert played two seasons in the NFL, playing with the Akron Indians in 1923 and 1924. He was player-coach of the Indians in 1923, Brenkert's only experience as a coach in any sport. Known as "Brenk" and the "Detroit Flash" during his playing days, Brenkert was honored by Holmes in 1927, as Brenkert was named to Holmes' All-Time, All-Star City College Football First Team at quarterback. Holmes also named Brenkert captain of the First Team. Returning to Detroit in the late 1920's, Brenkert and several of his brothers opened the Brenkert Light Projection Co., which made spotlights and movie projection equipment. Brenkert would work there until the family sold the business in 1958 to RCA. Brenkert would remain very active in recreational athletics until his death on August 1, 1979. Brenkert met his wife, Jeanette, while at W&J. In a local hospital recovering from appendicitis, Jeanette was one of the nurses at the hospital. They began dating, and were married in 1924. The couple have three daughters, Marjory, Barbara and Phyllis. Sadly, Mrs. Brenkert died on February 16th, 1988. If Brenkert were alive, today would have been his 90th birthday. He was born on March 5, 1898.
