Gil Mains

Gilbert Lee Mains (December 17, 1929 – January 10, 2009), nicknamed Wild Hoss, was an American professional football player who was a defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Murray State Thoroughbreds and was a two-time All-Ohio Valley Conference selection. He was selected by the Lions in the 20th round of the 1952 NFL draft. After a stint in the military, Mains played for the Lions from 1953 to 1961. He won two NFL championships and was a starter in the 1957 NFL Championship Game. He was known for flying feetfirst into the opponent's wedge on kickoff returns. John Madden called him the greatest wedge breaker of all-time. Pro Football Hall of Famer Tom Fears said Mains was the "dirtiest player" in the NFL. Mains was left crippled for life after an on-field injury. He also spent some time as a professional wrestler and played Canadian football for the Toronto Argonauts. After his NFL career, he was involved in numerous other affairs as well. Mains has been inducted into five different halls of fame.

Early life Gilbert Lee Mains was born on December 17, 1929, in Mount Carmel, Illinois. He participated in high school football, tumbling, and track at Mount Carmel High School. He was recruited by both the University of Illinois and Murray State College to play college football. Growing up, he knew baseball player Don Liddle and considered him his idol. He was on the freshman team in 1948. The Racers were Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) champions in 1948, 1950, and 1951. He majored in industrial arts and physical education at Murray State.

Professional football career Detroit Lions (first stint) Mains was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 20th round, with the 237th overall pick, of the 1952 NFL draft. Mains served in the 130th Infantry Regiment of the 44th Infantry Division of the Illinois Guard. Prior to the game, Mains said "somebody's going to get hurt when I get into the game against San Francisco." Ironically, Mains then dislocated his elbow on the opening kickoff. He made $5,000 during his first year with the Lions. Mains also started one playoff game.

Toronto Argonauts Mains, who was entering the option year of his NFL contract in 1955, signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (IRFU) on January 25, 1955, after Toronto offered him more money. The Argonauts offered Mains $11,000, $4,000 more than the $7,000 he made with the Lions in 1954. Mains played in three games for the Argonauts during the 1955 IRFU season as a two-way tackle. Argonauts team director Harry Sonshine stated "I can't blame him for going. His reputation isn't being enhanced by staying here." Mains also said "With Detroit, I played defence. Here I was going both ways. Maybe it was the one-yard difference in the scrimmage lines. I'm a crashing tackle. Playing head-to-head with your man, you can make the initial move fast. With the extra yard to cover, it was difficult to get the same advantage."

Detroit Lions (second stint) During the 1955 NFL season, Mains appeared in all 12 games, starting six, for the second consecutive year. On December 16, 1956, against the Chicago Bears, Mains was involved in a brawl with George Blanda and other players. Lions quarterback Bobby Layne had his arm broken by Ed Meadows of the Bears so Lions head coach Buddy Parker sent Mains into the game to get "revenge". During an extra point attempt, Mains made it through the offensive line and dove feet first into quarterback Ed Brown while simultaneously knocking down kicker George Blanda with a "right cross". Mains re-signed with the Lions on July 18, 1957. He added on ten more pounds for the 1957 season, up from the he played at in 1956. The Mount Carmel Register said that they were a size 22.

By 1958, Mains was working as an insurance salesman during the NFL offseason. He played in 11 games, starting nine during the 1958 NFL season. He re-signed with the Lions in May 1960. He moved into a reserve role during the 1960 season, appearing in all 12 games while only starting one as the Lions won the inaugural Playoff Bowl. In 1961, Mains played in three games as a backup before suffering a season-ending knee injury. While blocking on a punt return, Mains stepped into a drainage hole in Tiger Stadium and Abe Woodson of the 49ers fell on his knee. After knee surgery, Mains also had a blood clot in his lungs. Mains said "They may make me something like Marshal Dillon's 'Chester'", who was noted for his limp. His knee was "horribly deformed" and bulged out "grotesquely" beneath his pants. In 1989, Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Donovan said "You'd have cleat marks on your chest if you were a lead blocker. Nobody wanted that job. I don't think the guy had any sense. In Detroit one time it was raining and he spent the game picking up mud and throwing it in Jack Little's face." Mains's cleats once cut open Hardy Brown's thigh and it had be to be stitched back together before Brown could return to the game. Mains played both ways on special teams. In 2025, he was an inaugural member of the Illinois Sports Hall of Fame.

Professional wrestling career Mains performed as a professional wrestler during two offseasons from 1955 to 1956. He reportedly wrestled 193 matches in total, including against Gorgeous George, Lord Athol Layton, and Whipper Billy Watson. He wrestled in Toronto for promoter Frank Tunney and was trained by Whipper Billy Watson. He later said he made more money wrestling Gorgeous George for two weeks than he did his entire rookie year in the NFL. Mains had one trading card produced of him during his pro wrestling career; card No. 104 in the 1955–56 Parkhurst set. His Parkhurst card said that he excelled in flying tackles.

Post-playing career Mains joined the Lions as a part-time scout for the 1962 season. In 1964, he bought an abandoned bus terminal in Detroit for $550,000. He also continued on as an insurance salesman after his NFL career. In 1965, he reportedly sold $1 million worth of insurance policies. Mains continued purchasing land adjacent to the original bus terminal he bought. By 1966, he owned 36 acres with plans to start Gil Mains Truck City, Inc., which would include room for over 1,000 trucks, more than 50 stores, and a ski lift to take truckers from their vehicle to the terminal. In 1970, Mains and others involved in Gil Mains Truck City were accused of diverting a multimillion dollar loan from the Teamsters Union pension fund to buy stock in the Warren Bank. Truck City was still in operation through the 1980s, although under different ownership and not as big as Mains had envisioned.

By 1974, Mains was a salesman for Micro Optics and sold Sparcraft lights. He sued Sparcraft after he was apparently denied some commissions. The lawsuit was dismissed. In 1979, Mains became president of the Detroit Lions Alumni Association. In the 1980s, he was in charge of Great Lakes Industrial Contracting, which made pressure vessels and had 300 employees. Future NFL player Roosevelt Nix worked at Glic Environmental. In January 1962, Mains said that he and hockey player Howie Young were beaten up at a bar by "four or five men". Mains claimed he did not know what caused the brawl. However, the lawsuit never went to court. He had knee replacement surgery in 1981, receiving a metal knee. This made Mains's leg two inches shorter. In 1983, Mains, his wife Delores, and their three children were all hospitalised due to food poisoning after eating contaminated eggs at the Detroit Grand Prix. In 1993, Mains was honored by the Michigan House of Representatives for his involvement in the Hands That Help charity organization. Mains died on January 10, 2009, in West Branch, Michigan, leaving behind his wife Delores and four children.