Walter Beasley Gilbert (February 5, 1915 – August 19, 1979) was an American gridiron football player, best known for playing college football for Auburn. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1956.
 | |
| Position | Center |
|---|---|
| Class | 1937 |
| Major | Education[1] |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | February 5, 1915 Fairfield, Alabama, U.S.[a] |
| Died: | August 19, 1979 (aged 64) Auburn, Alabama, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College | Auburn (Alabama Polytechnic) |
| Bowl games | |
| High school | Darlington School (Rome, Georgia) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| College Football Hall of Fame (1956) | |
Biography
editGilbert grew up in Fairfield, Alabama, and graduated from Darlington School in Rome, Georgia.[3][4] He earned three varsity letters (1934–1936)[5]: 209 playing football at Alabama Polytechnic Institute, officially renamed Auburn University in 1960. Gilbert was selected to All-America teams in 1935 and 1936,[b] and was captain of the 1936 Auburn squad.[6][4] He starred at center, and also played linebacker.[2] His final season was somewhat hampered by an appendicitis operation he had in December 1935,[7][8] but he still was voted the "finest team player"[c] in his conference by coaches of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).[9] Gilbert concluded his college career by playing in the January 1, 1937, edition of the Bacardi Bowl.[7] Contested in Havana, it ended in a 7–7 tie against Villanova.[10] He received All-SEC football honors in each of his three varsity seasons.
While in college, Gilbert was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and the Omicron Delta Kappa honor society.[11][1] He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 1937 NFL draft,[12] but he did not play professionally, opting to pursue a career in the oil industry.[13] Gilbert was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1956,[14] and to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1974.[15]
In May 1938, Gilbert married Frances Wright; the couple first lived in Savannah, Georgia, where Gilbert was in business.[11] In March 1940, a daughter was born to the couple in Miami.[16] Gilbert served in the United States Army during World War II;[2] entering in February 1942,[17] he attained the rank of major.[14] He worked in management for Texaco for many years, and headed their European operations before his retirement in the late 1970s.[2]
Gilbert died in August 1979; he was survived by two daughters.[2] In July 1980, Auburn announced the creation of the Walter Gilbert Award, given annually to an Auburn graduate who was a varsity athlete and has demonstrated at least 20 years of superior performance in their profession.[18] The award was first issued in May 1981, to Joseph Lester Stewart (1915–2004),[19] who served as an officer in the United States Marine Corp from 1937 to 1965 and retired at the rank of brigadier general.[20] Stewart had served as cadet colonel of Auburn's ROTC brigade and was a fellow 1937 graduate with Gilbert.[21]
Notes
edit- ^ Gilbert's obituary said he was born Ensley,[2] a neighborhood within Birmingham. Ensley and Fairfield are adjacent to one another.
- ^ Some sources describe Gilbert as a three-time All-American;[5]: 224 however, he is absent from recognized 1934 College Football All-America Team selections.
- ^ The award is now known as the SEC Player of the Year.
References
edit- ^ a b Glomerata. Alabama Polytechnic Institute. 1937. p. 80. Retrieved July 2, 2023 – via Auburn University Digital Library.
- ^ a b c d e "Former Football Star Dies". Ledger-Enquirer. Columbus, Georgia. August 22, 1979. p. B-5. Retrieved June 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Auburn Continues 'Suicide Schedule' on Nashville Field". Montgomery Advertiser. October 15, 1934. p. 6. Retrieved July 2, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Tigers Name Walt Gilbert". The Huntsville Times. December 19, 1935. p. 10. Retrieved July 2, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Auburn Tigers Media Guide. 1999. Retrieved June 30, 2023 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Gilbert Named As Captain Of Auburn Eleven". Selma Times-Journal. December 19, 1935. p. 7. Retrieved June 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Captain Walter Gilbert Closed Out Brilliant Career In Havana Tilt". Montgomery Advertiser. January 6, 1937. p. 8. Retrieved June 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Auburn Cripples Show Improvement". Montgomery Advertiser. December 23, 1935. p. 6. Retrieved June 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Walter Gilbert Named Best Team Player In S.E.C." The Birmingham News. AP. February 23, 1937. p. 12. Retrieved July 2, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Villanova And Auburn In 7 To 7 Deadlock". Intelligencer Journal. Lancaster, Pennsylvania. UP. January 2, 1937. p. 6. Retrieved June 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Miss Wright Weds Walter Gilbert In Auburn". The Birmingham News. May 12, 1938. p. 12. Retrieved June 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "1937 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
- ^ "Gilbert Accepts Job With Oil Company". The Birmingham News. June 13, 1937. p. 8. Retrieved June 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Walter Gilbert (1956)". footballfoundation.org. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ "Walter B. Gilbert". ashof.org. June 20, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ "Births". Miami Herald. April 9, 1940. p. 2-C. Retrieved June 30, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Walter Gilbert Is Entering Army". The Birmingham News. January 27, 1942. p. 16. Retrieved July 2, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Auburn initiates Gilbert Award". The Anniston Star. Anniston, Alabama. July 2, 1980. p. 6D. Retrieved July 2, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Auburn's Beauford will be busy on Saturday". Birmingham Post-Herald. April 29, 1982. p. C1. Retrieved July 2, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Patterson, Michael Robert (June 28, 2023). "Joseph Lester Stewart – Brigadier General, United States Marine Corp". arlingtoncemetery.net.
- ^ Glomerata. Alabama Polytechnic Institute. 1937. p. 33. Retrieved July 2, 2023 – via Auburn University Digital Library.