Harry Gilmer

Harry Vincent Gilmer Jr. (April 14, 1926 – August 20, 2016) was an American professional football player who was a halfback and quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins and Detroit Lions. He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Early life Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Gilmer attended and played high school football at its Woodlawn High School. He often utilized the technique of leaping high into the air to pass the ball because, as a child, he often played pickup games with teammates who were much older and thus taller than he was; Gilmer was then one of the first players to popularize the "jump pass" when he continued using the technique at the collegiate level.

College career After high school, Gilmer played college football at the University of Alabama, where he was the left halfback from 1944 to 1947. As a freshman, he was 8 for 8 in passing attempts during a loss against Duke University in the Sugar Bowl. He then was traded to the Detroit Lions for Bert Zagers and Bob Trout, where he played in 1955 and 1956 under head coach Buddy Parker.

Later life and death After retiring as a player, Gilmer became an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers under Parker in 1957. After four years there and four with the Minnesota Vikings under Norm Van Brocklin, he succeeded George Wilson as Lions head coach in January 1965. His two-year record of included a 4–9–1 1966 campaign. His unpopularity with Lions fans reached a climax after a 28–16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Tiger Stadium in the regular season finale on December 11, when he was pelted with snowballs while exiting the field. He was fired in early January 1967, succeeded by assistant coach Joe Schmidt.

Gilmer was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1973 Gilmer died on August 20, 2016, at the age of 90. Until his death, he lived in St. Louis along with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.