Saturday, October 22, 2011

R.I.P. Gale Gillingham


One of very best offensive lineman and one of my all time favorite players, Gale Gillingham of the Green bay Packers died on Thursday in Minnesota.
From Fox Sports: Hall of Fame guard Gale Gillingham died at his home in Minnesota while lifting weights, his son said Friday. He was 67.weights, his son said Friday. He was 67.
Wade Gillingham said the former Pro Bowler appeared to have had a heart attack Thursday at his home in Little Falls, but his family doesn't have confirmation on a cause of death.
Gillingham, inducted in the Packers Hall of Fame in 1982, was Green Bay's first-round draft choiceand 13th overall in 1966 from the University of Minnesota. He played off the bench as a rookie and took veteran Fuzzy Thurston's spot during the 1967 season opposite All-Pro Jerry Kramer during the Vince Lombardi era.
He blocked for Bart Starr when the quarterback was leading the Packers to the first two Super Bowl victories in 1967 and 1968 and after leaving the team in 1974, returned to play for Starr when he was coach in 1976. Gillingham was a five-time Pro Bowler, six-time All Pro and played in 128 regular-season games for the Packers.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Green-Bay-Packers-Hall-of-Fame-guard-Gale-Gillingham-dead-at-67-102111
He is probably the best offensive lineman who is not in the Hall of Fame. Part of the reason is that after Vince Lombardi left the Packers, Dan Devine moved him to the defense and he promptly blew out his knee, ending his season.
Thanks for the memories, Gale Gillingham.

2 comments:

  1. Excellent tribute to Gillingham ! I read Jerry Kramer's book, Instant Reply a dozen times and Gillingham was mentioned a ton in that. I remember seeing him play. Ironically, the 1st time the Packers made the playoffs after winning 2nd Super Bowl was 1972 and Gillingham got hurt the 2nd game of the season. That was my 1st year as a true blue Packer fan (I'm 51 so was only 9 at the time) Isaw & followed Gillingham for 3 season. I remember how happy he came back that final season. & as a nieve boy figured he would solve a lot of Packer problems in 1976. Nice job of giving a Tribute to a missed Packer.

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