Banker was a prominent
halfback for the
Tulane Green Wave football team of
Tulane University from
1927 to
1929, in the last leading Tulane to an undefeated season. He was known as the "
Blond Blizzard" due to his blond hair and playing without a
helmet. During the 1929 game with
Georgia Tech, Banker wore a helmet onto the field because coach
Bernie Bierman threatened to yank him out of the game. But the helmet slipped over his eyes as the Yellow Jackets were preparing to kickoff, so Banker tossed it to the sideline, and was never taken out, calling Bierman's bluff. He was featured as part of the
All-American football team in the 1930
Warner Bros. feature movie ''
Maybe It's Love'' starring 20-year-old
Joan Bennett and comedian
Joe E. Brown. Banker once held Tulane's school records for career scoring (263 points), career touchdowns (37), career rushing yards (2,516), touchdowns in a single game (4), most rushes in a career (515), most rushes in a game (43) and average yards rushing in a game (93.2). Banker was a charter member of the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame. He was elected to the
College Football Hall of Fame in 1977, and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1978. ==Death==