Gary Lane (American football)
Encyclopedia
Gary Owen Lane was an American football
quarterback
and American football official.
After graduating from East Alton-Wood River High School in Wood River, Illinois in 1961, Lane played college football
at the University of Missouri
from 1963 to 1966 and later in the National Football League
(NFL) for three seasons with the Cleveland Browns
and the New York Giants
from 1966
to 1968
. He also played one season in the Canadian Football League
for the Saskatchewan Roughriders
in 1970
. Following his playing career, Lane was an official in the NFL for 18 seasons from 1982
to 1999
, serving as a side judge and referee
. He retired prior to the start of the 2000 NFL season
after failing a physical. As an official, Lane was assigned to Super Bowl XXIII
in 1989
and Super Bowl XXXIII
in 1999
and wore the uniform number 120. He was also the referee of the famous "Fake Spike" game in 1994 where Dan Marino faked a spike against the New York Jets and threw the winning touchdown pass at the old Meadowlands.
During the last three years of his life, Gary returned to his alma mater of East Alton - Wood River High School in Wood River, Illinois
, and donated many hours as an assistant football coach; contributed his own funds to a nice scholarship program in his name; and served as a mentor for many of the football players during those years. Lane died unexpectedly in 2003 due to a heart attack
. He is survived by his wife, Marcy, two children, and three stepchildren. The Gary Lane Foundation, a youth program, has been established in his honor.
Lane's son-in-law is Major League Baseball
catcher
Mike Matheny
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and American football official.
After graduating from East Alton-Wood River High School in Wood River, Illinois in 1961, Lane played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
from 1963 to 1966 and later in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) for three seasons with the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 1966
1966 NFL season
The 1966 NFL season was the 47th regular season of the National Football League, and the season after which was played Super Bowl I, though it was called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game. The league expanded to 15 teams with the addition of the Atlanta Falcons, thus an odd number of teams...
to 1968
1968 NFL season
The 1968 NFL season was the 49th regular season of the National Football League. As per the agreement made during the 1967 realignment, the New Orleans Saints and the New York Giants switched divisions; the Saints joined the Century Division while the Giants became part of the Capitol Division.The...
. He also played one season in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
for the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
in 1970
1970 CFL season
The 1970 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 17th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 13th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1970:...
. Following his playing career, Lane was an official in the NFL for 18 seasons from 1982
1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
to 1999
1999 NFL season
The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
, serving as a side judge and referee
Referee
A referee is the person of authority, in a variety of sports, who is responsible for presiding over the game from a neutral point of view and making on the fly decisions that enforce the rules of the sport...
. He retired prior to the start of the 2000 NFL season
2000 NFL season
The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
after failing a physical. As an official, Lane was assigned to Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
in 1989
1988 NFL season
The 1988 NFL season was the 69th regular season of the National Football League. The Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area becoming the Phoenix Cardinals but remained in the NFC East division....
and Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played on January 31, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion, following the 1998 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football...
in 1999
1998 NFL season
The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS...
and wore the uniform number 120. He was also the referee of the famous "Fake Spike" game in 1994 where Dan Marino faked a spike against the New York Jets and threw the winning touchdown pass at the old Meadowlands.
During the last three years of his life, Gary returned to his alma mater of East Alton - Wood River High School in Wood River, Illinois
Wood River, Illinois
Wood River is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,296 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wood River is located at ....
, and donated many hours as an assistant football coach; contributed his own funds to a nice scholarship program in his name; and served as a mentor for many of the football players during those years. Lane died unexpectedly in 2003 due to a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
. He is survived by his wife, Marcy, two children, and three stepchildren. The Gary Lane Foundation, a youth program, has been established in his honor.
Lane's son-in-law is Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Mike Matheny
Mike Matheny
Michael Scott Matheny is the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball. He is also a former baseball catcher, playing for four different teams during his thirteen years in the major leagues...
.