"Among the high school immortals"
Born in Waukegan, Illinois, in 1921, Graham set the record for largest male born in Illinois, weighing in at 14 lbs, 12 oz. and 23 inches long. His scrapbooks show he was active in many sports from an early age, as his proud mother chronicled his exploits in box scores and features in the local Waukegan Post.
Bigger than most kids his age, Otto’s versatility became apparent early when he became Illinois conference basketball scoring champion at age 16. A local reporter in an undated article wrote that Graham “has already established himself among local high school basketball immortals… Shooting from almost impossible angles and cutting the cords with unerring accuracy, Otto lived up to everything ever said of him by experts.”
"This specialist in theme songs and touchdowns"
Graham’s father, Otto Graham, Sr., directed the Waukegan High School band, prompting all his children to pick up instruments. (The scrapbooks sometimes contain updates on the musical accomplishments of brother Gene, an accomplished oboe player with the U.S. Marine Band.) Graham learned the piano, violin, trumpet, and French horn, which became his primary instrument with which he earned an Illinois state-champion rating. Many journalists over the years had fun with the unexpected dimension of a music-making athlete.
