4 . ▁ ▁His ▁mother , ▁Julia , ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁ ▁He ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Margaret ▁Str al ka ▁raised ▁three ▁sons , ▁Thomas , ▁Patrick ▁and ▁Daniel , ▁the ▁latter ▁was ▁Robert ' s ▁bi ological ▁son . ▁ ▁He ▁lived ▁in ▁the ▁Near ▁North ▁Side ▁of ▁Chicago , ▁and ▁Pal m ▁Spr ings , ▁California . ▁ ▁Football ▁career ▁In ▁high ▁school , ▁he ▁played ▁football ▁for ▁Oak ▁Park ▁High ▁School . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁captain ▁of ▁the ▁football ▁team . ▁ ▁In ▁college , ▁Hal per in ▁first ▁played ▁football ▁for ▁Notre ▁D ame , ▁as ▁a ▁quarter back ▁under ▁legend ary ▁coach ▁Kn ute ▁Rock ne . ▁ ▁He ▁then ▁played ▁football ▁for ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Wisconsin , ▁from ▁which ▁he ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁ ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁college , ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁he ▁played ▁professional ▁football ▁as ▁a ▁quarter back ▁for ▁the ▁Brook lyn ▁D od gers ▁in ▁the ▁National ▁Football ▁League , ▁under ▁coach ▁Ben ny ▁Fried man . ▁ ▁He ▁later ▁co ached ▁football ▁at ▁St . ▁Patrick ▁High ▁School . ▁ ▁Navy ▁career ▁ ▁Hal per in ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁Chicago ` s ▁most ▁decor ated ▁sail ors ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁when ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁started , ▁ultimately ▁rising ▁to ▁the ▁level ▁of ▁lieutenant ▁commander . ▁He ▁trained ▁first