Emlen Tunnell, a graduate of Radnor High School, was the first African American inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

For most, that would be enough. But Tunnell, born in Bryn Mawr, is also a Delco hero who recently had a Coast Guard cutter named after him, writes Ashley Johnson for 6ABC.

“He wanted to do as much as he could, as long as he could,” said his goddaughter Mialee Anderson. “If you go through his history, you see he did a lot of firsts. And in doing so, he set precedent for others to follow.”

Tunnell was the first African American to play for the New York Giants in 1948.

He was a two-time NFL champion and played in many Pro Bowls.

In April 1944, he suffered burns while in the U.S. Coast Guard at Papua New Guinea when he saved two shipmates with his bare hands after a Japanese torpedo hit.

He was awarded the Silver Life Saving Medal.

Recently, the Coast Guard named the 45th Fast Response Cutter after him. No. 45 was Tunnell’s number with the New York Giants.

He passed away at 50 in 1975.

Read more about Emlen Tunnell at 6ABC.

Here’s a video tribute to Emlen Tunnell.