Gene Upshaw

Infobox NFLretired


width=200
caption=Gene Upshaw with the Oakland Raiders.
position=Guard
number=63
birthdate=birth date|1945|8|15
Robstown, Texas, USA
deathdate= death date and age|2008|8|20|1945|8|15
Lake Tahoe, California, USA
debutyear=1967
finalyear=1981
draftyear=1967
draftround=3
draftpick=86
AFLdraftyear=1967
AFLdraftround=1
AFLdraftpick=17
college=Texas A&M University-Kingsville
teams=
*Oakland Raiders (1967–1981)
stat1label=Games played
stat1value=217
stat2label=Games started
stat2value=207
stat3label=Fumble Recoveries
stat3value=5
nfl=UPS276861
highlights=
* 7-time Pro Bowl selection (1968, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977)
* 11-time All-Pro selection (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977)
* 2-time Super Bowl champion (XI, XV)
* NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
* NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
HOF=220

Eugene Thurman Upshaw, Jr. (a.k.a. Uptown Gene) (August 15, 1945 – August 20, 2008) was an American football player for the Oakland Raiders and executive director of the National Football League Players' Association (NFLPA). In 1987, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Early life and football career

Upshaw was born in Robstown, Texas, USA. He graduated from Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M University-Kingsville), where he was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate fraternity established for African Americans.

After playing football in college at a number of offensive line positions, he played guard for the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League and the National Football League for 15 years. During that time, he played in three Super Bowls; in the 1967, 1976, and 1980 seasons. He also played in three AFL Championship Games, seven American Football Conference title games, one AFL All-Star game, and six NFL Pro Bowls. He was selected by "The Sporting News'" to the 1969 AFL All League team.

Upshaw was the only player in pro football history to play in three Super Bowls with the same team in three different decades. In 1999, he was ranked number 62 on "The Sporting News"' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.

He was the older brother of Marvin Upshaw, who was a defensive lineman with the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs and Arizona Cardinals(then playing in St Louis, Mo).

NFLPA career

Upshaw was an active member of the bargaining committee for the National Football League Players' Association (NFLPA) throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s. He led the NFLPA in its unsuccessful strike in 1987 and through years of anti-trust litigation against the league, including a brief period in which the NFLPA became a professional association rather than a union, that ended with the union's acceptance of a salary cap in return for free agency and an enhanced share of league revenues for the union's members. Until his death, he was the Executive Director of the Association.

He alienated many retired players after comments he made in response to 325 former AFL and NFL players receiving minimal retirement benefits. When the former players attempted to have the league and the Association consider their plight, Upshaw responded: "I don't work for them. They are not union members and they have no vote." [ [http://www.insurancenewsnet.com/article.asp?a=top_lh&id=56338 Ex-players say NFL neglects retirees: Hall of Famers: League, union leader fall short in providing benefits] ] In June 2007, when asked by the "Philadelphia Daily News" about fellow Hall of Famer Joe DeLamielleure's criticism, Upshaw replied "I'm going to break his Goddamn neck!" [cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2007-07-08-sw-retirees_N.htm|title=NFL retirees feel forgotten as fight for benefits rages|last=Colston|first=Chris|date=2007-08-13|work=USA Today|accessdate=2008-08-21] Prior to his death, a campaign was being led by Ravens kicker Matt Stover to oust Gene Upshaw as head of the NFLPA. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3545830 Hall of Famer Upshaw loses battle with pancreatic cancer] ] Tennessee Titans center Kevin Mawae, president of the NFLPA, had denied reports of mass callings from players for Upshaw to step down.Fact|date=August 2008

Hall of Fame and other honors

Upshaw was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987, for his achievements as both a player and a union leader.

In 2004, the NCAA Division II sports information directors awarded the first Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year award. It is presented each year during the weekend of the NCAA Division II Football Championship by the Manheim (Pennsylvania) Touchdown Club.

After his sudden death, the NFL announced that for the entire 2008 season, all 32 teams will wear a patch on the left chest of the jerseys with the initials "GU" and his number 63, his jersey number with the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders, with whom Upshaw played his entire 15 year Hall of Fame career, will also honor him in their season-opening game against the Denver Broncos with a video tribute and a replica of the uniform patch painted onto the field. The patch will also be painted onto the field at Giants Stadium, when the New York Giants and Washington Redskins open the NFL season on September 4th. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3563858 NFL players to wear uniform patch this season in honor of Upshaw] ]

Death

While on vacation in mid-August 2008 at his home in Lake Tahoe, [cite news|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=a7DrqARApALY&refer=home|title=Hall of Famer Gene Upshaw, Head of NFL Players' Union, Dies |last=Arnold|first=Laurence|last=Kuriloff|first=Aaron|date=2007-08-21|work=Bloomberg Muse|accessdate=2008-08-21] Upshaw began to feel ill. His wife Terri noticed that his breathing was labored, so she convinced him to go to the emergency room, where he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on August 17. On August 20, Upshaw died with Terri and his sons Eugene III, Justin, and Daniel by his side. [cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/22/sports/football/22upshaw.html|title=Gene Upshaw, N.F.L. Union Chief, Dies |last=Battista|first=Judy|date=2007-08-21|work=New York Times|accessdate=2008-08-21] In his honor, the NFL has announced that for the 2008-2009 season, every player will wear a "GU" patch, also with Gene's number 63; for the opening games of the season, the "GU" and "63" are inscribed on the field. [Ryan, John (September 4, 2008) [http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_10378161 Are you ready for some (NFL) football?!] "San Jose Mercury News"] However, during week 2 of the 2008 NFL season, the "GU 63" patch was replaced by a helmet decal on all NFL players. Only the Oakland Raiders will wear a jersey patch for the entire season.

He died at the age of 63. Coincidentally, the jersey number he wore during his Hall of Fame career was 63.

ee also

*List of American Football League players
*Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame

References

External links

* [http://www.conigliofamily.com/AFLHallofFamePhotos.htm#GeneUpshaw Upshaw's football card]
*"Pro Football Hall of Fame:" [http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=220 member biography]