Joy Berquist
{{Short description|American football player, lawyer, and judge (1901–1942)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
|name=Joy Berquist
|image=
|caption=
|position=Guard
|number=
|birth_date={{Birth date|1901|7|30}}
|birth_place=Loomis, Nebraska
|death_date={{Death date and age|1942|5|18|1901|7|30}}
|death_place=
|height_ft = 6
|height_in = 3
|weight_lbs = 235
|high_school = Lincoln (NE)
|college=Nebraska
|pastteams=
- Kansas City Blues (1924)
- Kansas City Cowboys (1926)
- Chicago Cardinals (1927)
|highlights=
- Second-team All-Pro (1926)
|statlabel1=
|statvalue1=
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|pfr=BerqJa20
|HOF=
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}}
Joy Theodore John Berquist (July 30, 1901 – May 18, 1942), sometimes known as "Teddie" Berquist,{{cite news|title=The Football Classic of the Middle-West|newspaper=The Kansas City Star|date=December 12, 1926|page=29|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90499597/football-classic/|via=Newspapers.com}} and known professionally as J. T. Berquist, was an American football player, lawyer, and judge. He played college football for Nebraska and in the National Football League (NFL) for the Kansas City Blues/Cowboys (1924, 1926) and Chicago Cardinals (1927).
Early years
Berquist in Loomis, Nebraska, and raised on a farm in Westmark Township.{{cite news|title=Phelps County Boy Files for Dawson County Attorney|newspaper=The Holdrege Progress|date=April 15, 1926|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88252770/the-holdrege-progress/|via=Newspapers.com}} He attended high school in Holdrege, Nebraska. He then enrolled at the University of Nebraska and played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team from 1921 to 1923.{{cite news|title=Joy Berquist|publisher=Pro Football Archives|accessdate=December 13, 2021|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerb/berq00200.html}}{{cite news|title=Joy Berquist's right guard position vacant as Husker old-timers gather|newspaper=Dawson County Herald|date=November 19, 1962|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90499291/joy-berquist/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=I May Be Wrong|newspaper=Lincoln Journal Star|author=John Bentley|date=May 19, 1942|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90499345/joy-berquist/|via=Newspapers.com}}
Professional football
Berquist played professional football for the Akron Pros/Indians in the National Football League (NFL) for the Kansas City Blues (1924), Kansas City Cowboys (1926), and Chicago Cardinals (1927). He appeared in 20 NFL games, 18 of them as a starter.{{cite web|title=Joy Berquist Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|accessdate=April 8, 2017|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BerqJa20.htm}} He was known for his ability to create holes for Kansas City's backs in the opposing forward wall.{{cite news|title=Proof That the line Holds Up the Backfield|newspaper=The Kansas City Times|date=December 11, 1926|page=18|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90499662/joy-berquist/|via=Newspapers.com}} He was selected as a second-team All-Pro end in 1926.{{cite news|title=Lewellen Is Selected On All American Pro Team|newspaper=The Green Bay Press-Gazette|date=December 17, 1926|page=22|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10168183/lewellen_is_selected_on_all_american/}}
Later years and family
Berquist was married in 1925 to Louise Lesh.{{cite news|title=J. T. Berquist Married|newspaper=The Cozad Local|date=October 6, 1925|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75162399/the-cozad-local/|via=Newspapers.com}} While still playing football, Berquist became a lawyer in Lexington, Nebraska. He later became a Dawson County judge. He died suddenly of a heart attack in 1942 at age 40.{{cite news|title=Joy Berquist, former Husker, dies suddenly|newspaper=Lincoln Evening Journal|date=May 18, 1942|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10173025/joy_berquist_former_husker_dies/}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Berquist, Joy}}
Category:American football guards
Category:Kansas City Blues (NFL) players
Category:Kansas City Cowboys (NFL) players
Category:Chicago Cardinals players
Category:Nebraska Cornhuskers football players
Category:Players of American football from Lincoln, Nebraska
Category:People from Lexington, Nebraska
Category:20th-century American lawyers