| Date of birth: | March 18, 1919 |
| Place of birth: | Farmington, West Virginia |
| Date of death: | November 22, 2005 (age 86) |
| Place of death: | Morgantown, West Virginia |
| Career information | |
|---|---|
| Position(s): | Center |
| Organizations | |
| As player: | |
| 1946-1956 1957 |
Cleveland Browns Detroit Lions |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Pro Bowls: | 1955 |
| Playing stats at DatabaseFootball.com | |
| Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1985 | |
Frank Gatski (March 18, 1919 – November 22, 2005) was an American football player.
Gatski was born on March 18, 1919 in Farmington, West Virginia.
Gatski attended Marshall University and Auburn University and played as a center and linebacker. In the 1940s and 1950s he played center for the NFL teams Cleveland Browns (1946–56) and Detroit Lions (1957). In 12 seasons, Gatski's teams played for the league title 11 times.
After his playing career, he was a scout for the Boston Patriots and coach for the West Virginia Industrial School for Boys from 1961 to 1982.
He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985, in a class that included Joe Namath, Pete Rozelle, O.J. Simpson, and Roger Staubach.
Marshall University retired Gatski's number, #72, on October 15, 2005 during their homecoming game against the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the first Marshall football player to be so honored.
Gatski died on November 22, 2005 in Morgantown, West Virginia.
On November 18, 2006 the East End Bridge was remamed the Frank Gatski Memorial Bridge during halftime of the Marshall-UTEP football game.
References
- Pro Football Hall of Fame: Member profile
- Tom Withers (2005). Obituary: Frank Gatski: Hall of Fame center for Browns. Retrieved November 24, 2005.
- "Frank ‘Gunner’ Gatski Memorial Bridge to be dedicated at UTEP-Marshall game." [1]
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