The "Righteous Reject", as he was called at
Boston College, Kerr was an All-East and
All-American guard. Upon arriving on campus, George reported to BC coach,
Gil Dobie, wearing three sweaters and two overcoats to boost his 155 pounds to 180 after he was told he was too small for
college football. Kerr surprised everyone when he excelled as an
offensive guard, receiving
All-American mention.
Frank Leahy later called Kerr the greatest scholar-athlete he ever coached.[1]
Kerr was a member of the Eagles
1941 Sugar Bowl championship team where his performance against the
University of Tennessee earned him a place on the All-Time
Sugar Bowl team. Kerr then captained the unbeaten Eagles in 1940. He was later inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1970.[2] He was drafted by the
Pittsburgh Steelers in the 19th round of the
1941 NFL Draft, however he never played with the team.[3][4][5]
Clergy
After his playing career ended, Kerr entered the
seminary and was ordained in 1945. He was named a Domestic Prelate with the title Right Reverend
Monsignor of
Pope Paul VI in 1964. He served as Chaplain to the Great and General Court of Massachusetts and to the
Boston Fire Department, in addition to his duties as pastor of an urban parish. He is best remembered for his commitment to inner-city education.[1]