Coach Harry Gamble Rest in Peace

[ngineer]

Reported in today's press that former Lafayette Head Coach Harry Gamble has died. He was 83. Coach Gamble lead the Leopards in the late 1960's and early '70's before leading Penn for 10 years and then going on to become the GM of the Philadelphia Eagles. I was recruited to play football at Lafayette by Coach Gamble in 1969-70 and was very impressed by the man. He was a true father figure to his players. Didn't need to curse and yell and act like so many idiots do today to make a point. My choice at the time came down between Lafayette and Lehigh. I was impressed by both schools and while there were a number of factors that went into my decision to go to Lehigh, Coach Gamble was not a "negative". Indeed my choice was between him and Fred Dunlap! A guy could not go wrong in either direction when it came to coaches.

Almost 25 years later, I accidentally bumped into Coach Gamble in Philadelphia while on business as we were both having breakfast at a hotel in center city. We had a fine chat, and although I know he did not remember me (as why would he remember a high school kid who did not come to play for him?), he was very gracious and we had a great time talking L-L football rivalry. People like Harry Gamble are what give the coaching profession its exalted place in our society. Condolences to his family, friends and the Lafayette community.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Well stated ngineer. Harry Gamble remained a friend of Lafayette throughout his life. Any man who could function as an NFL general manager, with Leonard Tose clawing at one side and Buddy Ryan clawing at the other, has to have had a very special gift for personal diplomacy.







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[Go...gate]

Gamble was a very classy man of the old school - he believed he was shaping young men for life while they played the extracurricular sport of football.

[Pards Rule]

Well stated ngineer. Harry Gamble remained a friend of Lafayette throughout his life. Any man who could function as an NFL general manager, with Leonard Tose clawing at one side and Buddy Ryan clawing at the other, has to have had a very special gift for personal diplomacy.





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Nice pic Bogus! Love the old coaches suit and tie - does any coach do that anymore? This seems to me to have been taken looking at the east end toward where Bourger Field House is today. Woods used to be back behind the end zone here. I remember my first Lehigh-Lafayette game seeing one of the frats use one of the trees immediately behind to break a section of the goalpost in half. BTW it was Norman Braman not Leonard Tose who had the Eagles during the Ryan era. Tose of the same named trucking company (now defunct like Hermann) sold to Braman who owned a host of car dealerships, primarily in South Florida.

[ngineer]

Nice pic Bogus! Love the old coaches suit and tie - does any coach do that anymore? This seems to me to have been taken looking at the east end toward where Bourger Field House is today. Woods used to be back behind the end zone here. I remember my first Lehigh-Lafayette game seeing one of the frats use one of the trees immediately behind to break a section of the goalpost in half. BTW it was Norman Braman not Leonard Tose who had the Eagles during the Ryan era. Tose of the same named trucking company (now defunct like Hermann) sold to Braman who owned a host of car dealerships, primarily in South Florida.

Don't know about the suit coat, but a few still wear a tie with a vest. I think Al Golden wears a tie for every game ala Joe Paterno. Tressel did with the vest at OSU. Hank Stram and Tom Landry wore suits or sport coats on the sidelines, but other than Golden, I cannot think of a coach, today, wearing a tie on the sideline, and some look downright unkempt. Biddle at Colgate used to wear what appeared to be old hoodies that could walk by themselves. Good trivia question to see if we can list all of the coaches who wear at tie on the sideline.

[Go...gate]

I think a fair amount actually did in that era. Woody Hayes always wore a white shirt and tie, as did Dr. John Bateman of Rutgers, who was there through 1972.

[ngineer]

I think a fair amount actually did in that era. Woody Hayes always wore a white shirt and tie, as did Dr. John Bateman of Rutgers, who was there through 1972.
Oh yes. I think most coaches, high school, college and pro at least wore ties on the sideline, and most wore sport coats, blazers and even a few suits. Trend seemed to change in the 1970's. So the real trivia is , who TODAY still wears at least a tie on the sideline other than Al Golden?

[DFW HOYA]

Due to the NFL's current merchandise agreement, coaches must wear Nike apparel on the sidelines and suits are therefore not allowed.

[MR. CHICKEN]

18824.....MAYBEAH...COACH BRAWK.......COOD SEW UH SWOOSH....ONTA....UH BLUE 'N YELLAH.....NECK NOOSE........xrotatehx......AWK!

[Green26]

I played against Gamble's first Penn team. We them. He was well-regarded. I got my team's game ball. Somebody stole it during a party at our apartment in NYC about 1980. I'd like to kick his ass. Ha.

[Bogus Megapardus]

I played against Gamble's first Penn team. We them. He was well-regarded. I got my team's game ball. Somebody stole it during a party at our apartment in NYC about 1980. I'd like to kick his ass. Ha.

That sux. Did you ever check ebay?

[ngineer]

Due to the NFL's current merchandise agreement, coaches must wear Nike apparel on the sidelines and suits are therefore not allowed.



In that case, how about just college coaches? Who other than Al Golden wears a tie on the sideline?

[Green26]

That sux. Did you ever check ebay?

Nope, never looked. Obviously it disappeared a long time ago. I did see one of our team "trophies" (given to all players in 1970, the Lambert trophy year) on eBay several years ago. My 1970 trophy might be my favorite possession of all-time. Our game balls were given out at the post-season banquet. The coach announced each game ball, with a sentence or two on player, and then the qb threw the ball from standing next to the coach to the recipient at his table across the room. I always thought that method of delivery was cool. Lots of pressure not to drop the ball (and break a bunch of glasses and plates).

[ngineer]

Nope, never looked. Obviously it disappeared a long time ago. I did see one of our team "trophies" (given to all players in 1970, the Lambert trophy year) on eBay several years ago. My 1970 trophy might be my favorite possession of all-time. Our game balls were given out at the post-season banquet. The coach announced each game ball, with a sentence or two on player, and then the qb threw the ball from standing next to the coach to the recipient at his table across the room. I always thought that method of delivery was cool. Lots of pressure not to drop the ball (and break a bunch of glasses and plates).

That is cool. Who did you play for?

[Green26]

That is cool. Who did you play for?

Dartmouth. Thus, Green26. See these linked Sports Illustrated articles.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1066389/1/index.htm

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1084268/index.htm I played (corner) in this game. Played every minute on D. Note the size of the crowd.

[ngineer]

Dartmouth. Thus, Green26. See these linked Sports Illustrated articles.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1066389/1/index.htm

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1084268/index.htm I played (corner) in this game. Played every minute on D. Note the size of the crowd.

Great articles. Blackman was a hell of a coach. I was recruited by Cornell in 1969 and my dad said the only Ivy schools worth playing for were Dartmouth and Yale! Your avatar threw me as to your allegiances.

[Go...gate]

Dartmouth. Thus, Green26. See these linked Sports Illustrated articles.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1066389/1/index.htm

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1084268/index.htm I played (corner) in this game. Played every minute on D. Note the size of the crowd.

Thanks for posting!

[Green26]

Great articles. Blackman was a hell of a coach. I was recruited by Cornell in 1969 and my dad said the only Ivy schools worth playing for were Dartmouth and Yale! Your avatar threw me as to your allegiances.


You could have played with Ed Marinaro at Cornell. As you probably know, Calvin Hill graduated from Yale in 1969. I grew up in Montana, and live there now.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Head Coach Harry Gamble, Lafayette-Lehigh game, 1968.





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[ngineer]

You could have played with Ed Marinaro at Cornell. As you probably know, Calvin Hill graduated from Yale in 1969. I grew up in Montana, and live there now.

Yes, Ed put a real hurt on the Engineers in 1970 or '71.

[ngineer]

Head Coach Harry Gamble, Lafayette-Lehigh game, 1968.




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Great photo. Typical Gamble pose. Looks like he's about to give lecture. I remember on weekend recruiting visit we had dinner is real nice dining room. Everyone's wearing suits or sportcoats and ties. White table cloth on one big long table with all the recruits that weekend. Must have been about 20 of us. The entrée was spare ribs. You could tell a lot of us weren't sure how to attack them--with our hands (as who eats ribs any other way) or should we use knife and fork and indelicately try and carve around the bones? Harry saw the consternation on some of the faces and immediately upon sitting down picked up his ribs and started gnawing the bone! Of course, everyone dove in immediately.