Harry Gilmer

NFLretired


position=Quarterback
Halfback
Defensive back
number=12, 52
birthdate=Birth date and age|1926|4|14|mf=y
Birmingham, Alabama
deathdate=
debutyear=1948
finalyear=1956
draftyear=1948
draftround=1
draftpick=1
college=Alabama
teams=As a player
* Washington Redskins (1948-1954)
* Detroit Lions (1955-1956)As a coach
* Detroit Lions (HC) (1965-1966)
stat1label=Passing yards
stat1value=3,786
stat2label=Rushing yards
stat2value=923
stat3label=Interceptions
stat3value=5
nfl=GIL763232
highlights=
* 2x Pro Bowl selection (1950, 1952)
* 1946 Rose Bowl MVP
* All-SEC (1945)
* SEC Player of The Year (1945)
* All-American (1945)
* Alabama Sports Hall of Fame (1973)cite web | work=Alabama Sports Hall of Fame | url=http://www.ashof.org/index.php?category=Football&refno=119&search=harry&src=directory&srctype=display&view=company | title=Harry Gilmer's Alabama Sports HOF Profile | accessdate=2008-08-15]
CollegeHOF=40063

Harry Vincent Gilmer, Jr. (born April 14, 1926 in Birmingham, Alabama) is a former American football halfback and quarterback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and Detroit Lions. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Early life

Gilmer was born in Birmingham, Alabama, where he attended and played high school football at Woodlawn High School.cite web | work=College Football Hall of Fame | url=http://www.collegefootball.org/famersearch.php?id=40063 | title=Harry Gilmer's College HOF Profile | accessdate=2008-08-14]

College career

After high school, Gilmer attended and played college football at the University of Alabama, where he was the left halfback from 1944 to 1947. As a freshman, he was 8 for 8 in passing attempts during a loss against Duke University in the Sugar Bowl. Gilmer's best year was his sophomore season, when he led the nation in touchdown passes, 13, and he ran for nine touchdowns. He had 79 rushing attempts with an average gain of 7.0 yards and a passing percentage of .648 on 88 attempts. His total offense, 1,457 yards, was second in the nation. Gilmer also spent time as a punter and kickoff returner and in his junior year, he returned 37 punts and his average, 14.5 yards, led the nation. During that season, Gilmer led Alabama to the 1946 Rose Bowl, where they beat the University of Southern California, 34-14.

In his career Gilmer passed for 26 touchdowns and ran for 24. He passed for 2894 yards and rushed for 1673. His punting average was 36.4 yards. He averaged 28.7 yards on kickoff returns, 13.5 on punt returns.

Professional career

Gilmer was drafted as the first overall pick in the 1948 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins, where he played from 1948 to 1954. He then was traded to the Detroit Lions, where he played in 1955 and 1956.

After football

After retiring from football, Gilmer began coaching, and was the head coach of the Lions from 1965 to 1966.

Gilmer was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1973 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993. In 1999, "Sports Illustrated" named him the 37th greatest Alabama sports figure. [cite web | work=Sports Illustrated | url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/features/si50/states/alabama/greatest/ | title=The 50 Greatest Alabama Sports Figures | accessdate=2008-08-15]

Personal

He currently lives in St. Louis, as do his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

References

External links

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