| No. 68 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Guard | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | (1944-02-03)February 3, 1944 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died: | October 20, 2011(2011-10-20) (aged 67) Little Falls, Minnesota, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 255 lb (116 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Little Falls | ||||||||
| College: | Minnesota | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1966: 1st round, 13th pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Gale Herbert Gillingham (February 3, 1944 – October 20, 2011) was an American professionalfootball player who was aguard for 10 seasons in theNational Football League (NFL) with theGreen Bay Packers (1966–1974,1976).[1][2][3][4]
Born inMadison, Wisconsin, Gillingham grew up on afarm in nearbyStoughton.[5] His family moved toLittle Falls, Minnesota, when he was in high school and he playedcollege football for theMinnesota Golden Gophers, where he was a teammate of futureKansas City Chiefs defensive endAaron Brown, whom he faced inSuper Bowl I.
Gillingham was the 13th overall selection of the1966 NFL draft, and in his rookie season, he alternated as the starter at left guard with veteranFuzzy Thurston. During the1967 season, he took Thurston's spot full-time, opposite perennial All-ProJerry Kramer. He started theIce Bowl andSuper Bowl II, coachVince Lombardi's final games after nine seasons with the team.
Gillingham was the last member of the Lombardi-era Packers to be active with the franchise. By time he retired,Bart Starr, whom he blocked for in the first two Super Bowl wins, was the team's head coach.[6] Gillingham was a five-time Pro Bowler (1969, '70, '71, '73 and '74), six-time All Pro (1968, '69, '70, '71, '73, '74, and a two-timeAP NFL First-team All Pro (1969 and '70). Gillingham was selected as the inaugural winner of theForrest Gregg Award for the NFL Offensive Lineman of the Year following the 1970 season. He was the NFC choice as the NFLPA/Coca-Cola Offensive Lineman of the Year for 1971. He retired a few months after the 1976 season,[6] was inducted into theGreen Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1982.[5]
The only season he was not on offense was1972 whenhead coachDan Devine inexplicably shifted him to thedefensive line after the pre-season, even though Gillingham was the team's best offensive lineman. During that campaign, the success of the Packers' offense heavily depended on a strong running attack led byMacArthur Lane andJohn Brockington. Devine's move failed when Gillingham sustained a season-endingknee injury two games into the regular season, and he was criticized for eventually being a factor in diminishing the team's playoff run.[5] In 1982, he was inducted into theGreen Bay Packers Hall of Fame.[7]
After his playing days, Gillingham was in the real estate business in Minnesota and retired in 2010.[2] Noted for his brute strength, he was one of the first players in the NFL to useweight training to stay in playing shape during the offseason.[5] His oldest son,Karl, is a Professional Strongman and has competed in two Worlds Strongest Man competitions. Middle son,Brad, is a 6 time World Champion powerlifter with several National and World Records. Youngest son, Wade, is a former Professional Strongman and is widely regarded as having one of the best grips in the world.
Gillingham died at age 67 in 2011 in Little Falls.[3]
In 2016, theProfessional Football Researchers Association named Gillingham to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2016.[8]
