| No. 83 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | End | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1924-09-12)September 12, 1924 Long Island, New York, USA | ||||||||
| Died | April 6, 1976(1976-04-06) (aged 51) Mineola, New York, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Sewanhaka (Floral Park, New York) | ||||||||
| College | Columbia | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1948: 4th round, 24th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Bruce Gehrke (September 12, 1924 – April 6, 1976) was a three sport starIvy League Hall of Famer, former professional football player forNew York Giants in theNational Football League (NFL) and a winning coach. He won national championship (NCAA) titles in Baseball, Basketball and Football with theColumbia Lions where he was the most valuable and popular player.[1]
Gehrke was born inLong Island, New York and attendedSewanhaka High School in Floral Park, Long Island before attendingColumbia University in September 1942. In his first year, he starred on the varsity football, basketball and baseball teams.[citation needed]
The following year, Gehrke played shortstop for Columbia’s 1944 championship baseball team, while training for theNavy. Hugely popular among his teammates and fellow students, Gehrke had that intangible flair for color that made him a crowd pleaser. His play, in every sport, was daring and spectacular, yet he was as crafty a competitor as anyone could have been. Gehrke was also the coach of his fraternity basketball team in intramural play. He took a break from college when he spent a year with the Navy overseas inOkinawa duringWorld War II. He returned to Columbia for his junior year in September 1946.[citation needed]
Gehrke is believed to be the only Columbia University student to earn 12varsity letters and start for a team i.e. football, basketball, baseball each season.[2]In his senior year, Gehrke played a major role in Columbia’s 21–20 victory overArmy. One of Columbia’s most versatile athletes ever, Gehrke is the last Lion athlete to have lettered all four years in three different varsity sports, other than track and cross country athletes. He graduated from Columbia in 1948, finishing a phenomenal career that included a league title in baseball, two in basketball as well as some of the Lions’ most successful football seasons.[citation needed]
On October 2, 2008 Gehrke was inducted into hall of fame as a three sport star for the Columbia Lions.[citation needed]
Gehrke eventually went on to play for his hometown New York Giants in National Football League and later became a winning coach for over 25 years coaching high school football, basketball, and baseball at Mineola, on his native Long Island. Gehrke was drafted by New York Giants in the 4th round (24th overall) of the1948 NFL draft.[3][4]
Of the 18 student-athletes inducted, six were males from the Heritage Era. Along with the already mentioned Azary were basketball player Walter Budko, CC '48, three-sport star Bruce Gehrke, CC '49, quarterback Gene Rossides, CC '49, rower Bill Sanford, CC '30, and track and field star George Shaw, CC '54. Gehrke is believed to be the only Columbian to earn 12 varsity letters and start for a team—football, basketball, baseball—each season.