▁chosen ▁as ▁a ▁sch ol astic ▁All - American . ▁He ▁also ▁earned ▁all - state ▁hon ors ▁in ▁both ▁football ▁and ▁basketball , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁considered ▁the ▁best ▁all - around ▁high ▁school ▁ath lete ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Oklahoma . ▁ ▁Am ateur ▁sports ▁career ▁ ▁Early ▁O U ▁days ▁Church ill ▁en rolled ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Oklahoma ▁in ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁but ▁due ▁to ▁colleg iate ▁ath lete ▁athlet ics ▁rules ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁fresh men ▁were ▁not ▁allowed ▁to ▁play ▁for ▁their ▁schools ' ▁vars ity ▁teams . ▁He ▁decided ▁to ▁box ▁for ▁his ▁first ▁year ▁and ▁won ▁titles ▁in ▁both ▁light - he avy weight ▁and ▁heavy weight ▁class ifications . ▁When ▁he ▁became ▁el ig ible ▁to ▁play ▁for ▁the ▁school ' s ▁sports ▁teams ▁as ▁a ▁s oph om ore ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 7 – 2 8 , ▁Church ill ▁played ▁for ▁the ▁football ▁and ▁basketball ▁teams ▁and ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁the ▁All - Miss ouri ▁Valley ▁Conference ▁Team ▁in ▁basketball . ▁That ▁season , ▁the ▁basketball ▁team ▁finished ▁ 1 8 – 0 ▁and ▁were ▁MVC ▁champions . ▁Even ▁though ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁star ▁ath lete ▁in ▁multiple ▁sports , ▁basketball ▁was ▁considered ▁his ▁best ▁sport . ▁▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁In ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 2 8 , ▁Church ill ▁won ▁the ▁Kansas ▁Rel ays ' ▁dec ath lon ▁event . ▁ ▁He ▁repeated ▁as ▁the ▁Kansas ▁Rel