Professor Louis Frederick Kirchner (July 4, 1865 – June 11, 1951), misnamed in some posthumous sources as William Kirschner, was an early football player and physical instructor for the Pittsburgh Athletic Club.

Kirchner played center for the "All-Pittsburghs" so that he could square off against the Allegheny Athletic Association's John Moorhead Jr.

While Allegheny proved too much for the "All-Pittsburghs", Kirchner and several other East End players gained experience for their games later in the season.

Some rival clubs, such as the Allegheny Athletic Association, felt that the professor's ability, his reduced class load, and his salary were connected.

[7] In 1892, Pittsburgh manager John Barbour traveled to Cleveland, Ohio to watch a game involving the Chicago Athletic Association.

Here Pittsburgh's manager scouted Pudge Heffelfinger and felt that he would be an ideal replacement for the injury-prone Kirchner.