American football player (1932–1974)
American football player
Eugene William Gedman (January 9, 1932 – August 19, 1974) was an American football player, a running back for four seasons with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL), 1953 and 1956 through 1958 . The Lions won league titles in 1953 and 1957 . He served in the military during the 1954 and 1955 seasons.[ 1] [ 2] [ 3]
Biography
Born in Duquesne, Pennsylvania , a suburb southeast of Pittsburgh , Gedman graduated from Duquesne High School in 1949. He played college football at Indiana University in Bloomington , where he was the Hoosiers' captain and most valuable player (twice), and All-Big Ten .[ 4] He played in the East–West Shrine Game and was selected by the Lions in the second round of the 1953 NFL draft , the fifteenth overall pick.
During his fifth training camp, Gedman was waived by the Lions in mid-September 1959 .[ 5] A few days later he was later withdrawn from waivers and put on the injured list, due to a knee injury from the previous season.[ 6] In 1963, he won a $15,000 workmen's compensation settlement from the club.[ 7] [ 8]
In the early 1960s, Gedman coached in the United Football League , at Indianapolis and Grand Rapids ,[ 9] and was a pension administrator for the city of Detroit .[ 10] He was later a sales manager for a fire extinguisher company in Chicago . Gedman died at home in 1974 of a heart attack at age 42.[ 11]
References
^ Hammel, Bob; Klingelhoffer, Kit (1999). Glory of Old IU, Indiana University . Sports Publishing Inc. p. 114 .
^ "Army takes Gedman" . Pittsburgh Press . February 24, 1954. p. 24.
^ Strickler, George (July 7, 1954). "Lions to open drills minus six regulars" . Chicago Daily Tribune . p. 1, part 3.
^ "Gedman most valuable at Indiana again" . Chicago Daily Tribune . November 27, 1952. p. 1, part 9.
^ "Colts cut Lyles; Lions Gedman" . Milwaukee Sentinel . press dispatches. September 16, 1959. p. 4, part 2.[permanent dead link ]
^ "Keep Gedman" . Milwaukee Sentinel . Associated Press. September 18, 1959. p. 4, part 2.[permanent dead link ]
^ "Gedman to get $15,000 from Lions" . Milwaukee Sentinel . Associated Press. November 2, 1963. p. 4, part 2.[permanent dead link ]
^ "Grid players win verdicts in 3 courts" . Gettysburg Times . Pennsylvania. Associated Press. November 2, 1963. p. 5.
^ "Ex-Lion Gedman Grand Rapids pilot" . Milwaukee Sentinel . Associated Press. April 15, 1962. p. 4S.[permanent dead link ]
^ "Gedman quits Detroit post" . Owosso Argus-Press . Michigan. Associated Press. November 28, 1969. p. 22.
^ "Former Lion Gedman is dead" . Pittsburgh Press . August 20, 1974. p. 26.
External links