- Mike Gaechter
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Mike Gaechter Date of birth: January 9, 1940 Place of birth: Santa Monica, California Career information Position(s): Strong Safety College: Oregon Organizations As player: 1962-1969 Dallas Cowboys Playing stats at NFL.com Michael Theodore Gaechter (born January 9, 1940 in Santa Monica, California) is a former American football safety in the National Football League who spent his entire career with the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of Oregon.
College career
After going to Antelope Valley High School (Lancaster, CA), Gaechter attended the University of Oregon.
Because of grades, he enrolled at Clark College[disambiguation needed
] where he competed in the long jump, the 100, 200, low and high hurdles, and as a member of the relay team.In 1961 he earned his reacceptance to the University of Oregon. That year during a track meet at the University of Washington, he recorded his fastest time with 9.4 seconds in the 100-yard dash.
In 1962, Gaechter with teammates Mel Renfro, Jerry Tarr, and Harry Jerome, ran the third leg on the University of Oregon’s world record setting team, in the 4x440 yard relay[1].
Gaechter’s college sport was track and field. He became a first-time starter on the football team until his senior year and was voted the most improved player.
Professional career
He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 1962 as a rookie free agent defensive back.
Gaechter started out in the pros at cornerback, then switched to free safety in 1963, before settling in at strong safety, where he earned the reputation as a feared hitter in the Cowboys secondary.
Although Gaechter was a former track star, as a football player, he was tough and a hard hitter. He was the Cowboys first safety to sell out his body for the sake of the team.
His open-field hit on Green Bay’s Boyd Dowler in the 1966 NFL championship game, was a highlight-reel play.
Gaechter played eight seasons and recorded 21 interceptions during his time in Dallas.
In 1962 against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cowboys became the first NFL team in history to produce two 100-yard plays in the same game: a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown by Gaechter and a 101-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by running back Amos Marsh.
Gaechter had been a mainstay on the Cowboys defense for most of the 1960s, but he ruptured his achilles tendon in the 1969 NFL's Playoff Bowl, playing against the Los Angeles Rams. He never played again.
Cornell Green moved from cornerback to strong safety to replace Gaechter.
External links
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