Roman Gabriel
Encyclopedia
Roman Ildonzo Gabriel, Jr. (born August 5, 1940 in Wilmington, North Carolina
) is a former American football
player. The son of a Filipino
immigrant, he was the first Asian-American to start as an NFL
quarterback
and is considered by many to have been one of the best players at that position during the late 1960s and early 70s.
Gabriel attended and played high school football at New Hanover High School
in Wilmington, North Carolina
. He went on to star for the North Carolina State football team
, and played professionally for the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles
.
n, and a two-time ACC Player of the Year (1960–61) he starred at quarterback for North Carolina State University
in the early 1960s and finished his career holding virtually every Wolfpack passing record. An academic All-American, Gabriel saw his jersey retired and presented to him by North Carolina governor Terry Sanford
on Jan. 20, 1962, at half-time of an NC State-Maryland basketball game in Reynolds Coliseum
. As captain of his team Gabriel set 22 school and nine conference football records. He threw for 2,961 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Known for his arm strength, he also played baseball and was voted the best amateur athlete in the Carolinas. In a three-year career he passed for 20 touchdowns and ran for 15. The Atlantic Coast Conference’s 50th Anniversary Football Team was announced in 2003 and Gabriel was among the top 50 players in the history of the ACC to be listed. Gabriel was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1989.
Gabriel was the number one 1962 AFL Draft
pick, chosen by the Oakland Raiders
, and was the number 2 1962 NFL Draft pick, selected by the Los Angeles Rams. Gabriel signed with the Rams and went on to a distinguished professional career.
(1962–72) and the Philadelphia Eagles
(1973–77). He was awarded the NFL Most Valuable Player Award
in 1969 and earned Pro Bowl
spots in 1967, 1968, 1969, and 1973. When he retired, he ranked as the Rams' all-time passing leader with 22,223 yards and 154 touchdowns (1,705 com./3,313 att.) and threw for 7,221 yards and 45 touchdowns (661 com./1,185 att.) with the Eagles. In 1973 he led the NFL with 3,219 yards and 23 touchdown passes, for which he was awarded the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
. As of the end of the 2009 NFL season, he still holds the Rams' career records for touchdown passes (154), passes attempted (3,313), and wins by a starting quarterback (74).
From 1962 through 1965, Gabriel had a difficult time securing a starting quarterback job. Ram coaches gave Zeke Bratkowski
or Bill Munson
the nod over Gabriel. However, due to other quarterbacks slumping or being injured, Gabriel did get to start 23 games from 1962 through 1965. The Rams record in those games was 11 wins, 11 losses, and one tie. Although his record as a starter was average, the other Rams quarterbacks who started the other 32 games combined record was only three wins, 27 losses and two ties. Gabriel's significant wins include a 1965 victory to beat the eventual Champion Green Bay Packers
and the 11-3 Cleveland Browns
.
When George Allen took over for Harland Svare to become to coach the Rams in 1966, one of his first moves was to make Gabriel the #1 starter. Gabriel started all 14 games and the Rams went 8-6, their first winning season since 1958. In 1967 the Rams went 11-1-2 and made the playoffs as NFL Coastal Division champions. Gabriel was named the AP
Offensive Player of the Week the last two weeks of the season. In week 13, needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, Gabriel was 20 for 36 with 3 touchdowns (including the game winner in the last minute) in a 27-24 come from behind win over the defending champion Green Bay Packers
. The next week, in a game against the Baltimore Colts
that would decide the division title, Gabriel completed 18 of 22 passes with 3 touchdowns as the Rams won 34-10. The 1967 Rams finished as the highest scoring team in the NFL, but were eliminated from the playoffs by the Packers 28-7. Gabriel threw for 2,779 yards and 25 touchdowns and was a Second-team All-Pro
and a Pro Bowler.
The following season they were in another neck and neck battle for the Coastal Division title with the Colts. Going into the 13th game of the season, the Rams needed a win to stay within one-half game of the Colts, who would be coming to Los Angeles the following week for the season finale. However, the Rams took a 17-16 loss to the Chicago Bears
.
In 1969 the Rams opened the season with an 11-game winning streak (still a team record), before suffering their first loss to the 10-1 Minnesota Vikings
in Los Angeles by a score of 20-13. With the division clinched and the undefeated record gone, coach Allen decided to rest many of his starters and the Rams lost their last two games to finish 11-3. In a rematch with the Vikings in the playoffs in Minnesota, the Rams lost, 23-20. For the season, Gabriel threw 24 touchdowns and only seven interceptions and was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player by the AP and NEA, the Player of the Year by the UPI and was voted All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl.
In 1970, the league realigned, putting the Rams in contention with the San Francisco 49ers
for the new NFC West Division title. After an upset loss at home to the lowly New York Jets
(who were without the injured Joe Namath
) in which Gabriel threw 3 interceptions, the Rams won 3 straight, including a crucial 30-13 win of the 49ers to take over first place. But a 28-23 week 13 loss to the Detroit Lions
in the first Monday night football game in L.A. (despite over 300 yards passing from Gabriel), put the Rams back in 2nd place and left them 1/2 game behind the Lions for the wild card playoff spot, but they were edged out for a playoff berth.
In 1971, the veteran Rams began to show their age and Gabriel missed parts of every game due to knee and shoulder injuries. In addition, coach George Allen left for the Redskins after a long running dispute with general manager Dan Reeves. Still, the Rams, despite playing the league's toughest schedule, faced almost the same situation as in 1970. After falling behind the 49ers in week 7, they rallied back to take the division lead going into another week 13 Monday night game in L.A. This time, the opponent was George Allen's Redskins. After falling behind 31-10, Gabriel led the Rams back to within 31-24 and was driving to a possible tying score when he was intercepted; it was returned for a touchdown and the Redskins won. Once again, the Rams fell into 2nd place behind the 49ers and behind the Redskins for the wild card berth. Despite winning in Pittsburgh in week 14, the 49ers came from behind to beat the Lions, 31-27 and win the division.
In 1972, Gabriel's knee and shoulder injury problems got worse. After making 89 consecutive starts
over eight seasons, he missed 2 games and lost playing time in all 12 others. Still, after a Monday night win in San Francisco in week 12, the Rams regained 1st place. But losses to the Cardinals and Lions in the final two weeks doomed their season.
After the 1972 season, the Rams hired Chuck Knox
as their new coach, and obtained John Hadl
to be quarterback. Gabriel was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1973. Gabriel went to a 2-11-1 Eagle team and turned them around to a 5-8-1 team. Gabriel was voted to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time and was voted the "Comeback player of the Year" by Pro Football Weekly
. For the 1973 Season Gabriel led the Eagles with 270 completions, 460 attempts and 3,219 yards and 23 touchdowns (all league highs) as the Eagles offense was the most prolific passing game in the NFL.
Gabriel played though 1977 but his final two years were in a backup role. In his career he had a winning record of 86-64-7 and passes for over 29,000 yards and 201 touchdowns. He is the only quarterback from his era to still rank high in the "lowest interception percentage" category in NFL passing statistics.
of the World League of American Football
, becoming the only coach to have a perfect losing season (0-10), in the inaugural season of 1991-1992. The team disbanded shortly thereafter.
's 1968 spoof Skidoo
and an American Indian named "Blue Boy" in the 1969 John Wayne
film The Undefeated
. Gabriel's dark complexion gave rise to a popular belief that he may really be a Native American , but this is not the case; he is actually Filipino American on his father's side and Irish-American on his mother's. Gabriel had previously appeared as a headhunter in the November 14, 1966 "Topsy-Turvey" episode of CBS
' Gilligan's Island
.
dealerships in the South Bay area of Los Angeles
with teammate Merlin Olsen
. After retirement from pro football in 1977, Gabriel went into broadcasting as a color commentator
for CBS
television and, later, Carolina Panthers
radio. Committed to charity work in his home of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
, he has raised over $5 million for charity through RG Sports Connection trust through which he promoted celebrity golf tournaments for various charities - multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, leukemia, the blind, the Special Olympics and the Salvation Army.
Gabriel was married to:
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
) is a former American football
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...
player. The son of a Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
immigrant, he was the first Asian-American to start as an NFL
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...
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 is considered by many to have been one of the best players at that position during the late 1960s and early 70s.
Gabriel attended and played high school football at New Hanover High School
New Hanover High School
New Hanover High School is a high school located in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. New Hanover High is now the oldest present high school built in Wilmington. Recently the original building underwent a complete renovation to update the 1919 school to the 21st century. New Hanover is also the...
in Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
. He went on to star for the North Carolina State football team
NC State Wolfpack football
The NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Wolfpack currently compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference....
, and played professionally for the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
College career
A two-time All-AmericaAll-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n, and a two-time ACC Player of the Year (1960–61) he starred at quarterback for North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
in the early 1960s and finished his career holding virtually every Wolfpack passing record. An academic All-American, Gabriel saw his jersey retired and presented to him by North Carolina governor Terry Sanford
Terry Sanford
James Terry Sanford was a United States politician and educator from North Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party, Sanford was the 65th Governor of North Carolina , a two-time U.S. Presidential candidate in the 1970s and a U.S. Senator...
on Jan. 20, 1962, at half-time of an NC State-Maryland basketball game in Reynolds Coliseum
Reynolds Coliseum
William Neal Reynolds Coliseum is a multi-purpose arena located in Raleigh, North Carolina on the North Carolina State University campus. The arena was built to host a variety of events, including agricultural expositions and NC State basketball games...
. As captain of his team Gabriel set 22 school and nine conference football records. He threw for 2,961 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Known for his arm strength, he also played baseball and was voted the best amateur athlete in the Carolinas. In a three-year career he passed for 20 touchdowns and ran for 15. The Atlantic Coast Conference’s 50th Anniversary Football Team was announced in 2003 and Gabriel was among the top 50 players in the history of the ACC to be listed. Gabriel was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1989.
Gabriel was the number one 1962 AFL Draft
1962 American Football League Draft
-Boston Patriots draft picks :-Buffalo Bills draft picks :-Dallas Texans draft picks :-Denver Broncos draft picks :-Houston Oilers draft picks :...
pick, chosen by the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and was the number 2 1962 NFL Draft pick, selected by the Los Angeles Rams. Gabriel signed with the Rams and went on to a distinguished professional career.
NFL career
Gabriel wore the number 18 with the Rams and the number 5 with the Eagles. In the professional ranks Gabriel went on to play 16 seasons in the NFL, splitting time with the Los Angeles RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
(1962–72) and the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
(1973–77). He was awarded the NFL Most Valuable Player Award
NFL Most Valuable Player Award
The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is given by various entities, most notably the Associated Press , to the player who is considered most valuable in the league. When the award is referred to without mentioning the organization, it generally means the AP award. The AP NFL MVP...
in 1969 and earned Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
spots in 1967, 1968, 1969, and 1973. When he retired, he ranked as the Rams' all-time passing leader with 22,223 yards and 154 touchdowns (1,705 com./3,313 att.) and threw for 7,221 yards and 45 touchdowns (661 com./1,185 att.) with the Eagles. In 1973 he led the NFL with 3,219 yards and 23 touchdown passes, for which he was awarded the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
The NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award has been given out after every season since 1972 by Pro Football Weekly. The player named Comeback Player of the Year shows perseverance in overcoming adversity, in the form of not being in the NFL the previous year, a severe injury, or simply poor...
. As of the end of the 2009 NFL season, he still holds the Rams' career records for touchdown passes (154), passes attempted (3,313), and wins by a starting quarterback (74).
From 1962 through 1965, Gabriel had a difficult time securing a starting quarterback job. Ram coaches gave Zeke Bratkowski
Zeke Bratkowski
Edmund Raymond "Zeke" Bratkowski is a former All-American quarterback at the University of Georgia from 1952 to 1953. He also had a fourteen year career in the NFL with the Chicago Bears, L.A. Rams and Green Bay Packers, followed by a 26-year coaching career...
or Bill Munson
Bill Munson
William Alan Munson was a professional American football quarterback who played in 16 NFL seasons from 1964 through 1979 for five different teams. He was 6'2" and weighed 203 lbs. He was best known for his years as a starter for the Detroit Lions in the mid-1970s...
the nod over Gabriel. However, due to other quarterbacks slumping or being injured, Gabriel did get to start 23 games from 1962 through 1965. The Rams record in those games was 11 wins, 11 losses, and one tie. Although his record as a starter was average, the other Rams quarterbacks who started the other 32 games combined record was only three wins, 27 losses and two ties. Gabriel's significant wins include a 1965 victory to beat the eventual Champion Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
and the 11-3 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...
.
When George Allen took over for Harland Svare to become to coach the Rams in 1966, one of his first moves was to make Gabriel the #1 starter. Gabriel started all 14 games and the Rams went 8-6, their first winning season since 1958. In 1967 the Rams went 11-1-2 and made the playoffs as NFL Coastal Division champions. Gabriel was named the AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
Offensive Player of the Week the last two weeks of the season. In week 13, needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, Gabriel was 20 for 36 with 3 touchdowns (including the game winner in the last minute) in a 27-24 come from behind win over the defending champion Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. The next week, in a game against the Baltimore Colts
History of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
that would decide the division title, Gabriel completed 18 of 22 passes with 3 touchdowns as the Rams won 34-10. The 1967 Rams finished as the highest scoring team in the NFL, but were eliminated from the playoffs by the Packers 28-7. Gabriel threw for 2,779 yards and 25 touchdowns and was a Second-team All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
and a Pro Bowler.
The following season they were in another neck and neck battle for the Coastal Division title with the Colts. Going into the 13th game of the season, the Rams needed a win to stay within one-half game of the Colts, who would be coming to Los Angeles the following week for the season finale. However, the Rams took a 17-16 loss to the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
In 1969 the Rams opened the season with an 11-game winning streak (still a team record), before suffering their first loss to the 10-1 Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in Los Angeles by a score of 20-13. With the division clinched and the undefeated record gone, coach Allen decided to rest many of his starters and the Rams lost their last two games to finish 11-3. In a rematch with the Vikings in the playoffs in Minnesota, the Rams lost, 23-20. For the season, Gabriel threw 24 touchdowns and only seven interceptions and was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player by the AP and NEA, the Player of the Year by the UPI and was voted All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl.
In 1970, the league realigned, putting the Rams in contention with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
for the new NFC West Division title. After an upset loss at home to the lowly New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(who were without the injured Joe Namath
Joe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
) in which Gabriel threw 3 interceptions, the Rams won 3 straight, including a crucial 30-13 win of the 49ers to take over first place. But a 28-23 week 13 loss to the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in the first Monday night football game in L.A. (despite over 300 yards passing from Gabriel), put the Rams back in 2nd place and left them 1/2 game behind the Lions for the wild card playoff spot, but they were edged out for a playoff berth.
In 1971, the veteran Rams began to show their age and Gabriel missed parts of every game due to knee and shoulder injuries. In addition, coach George Allen left for the Redskins after a long running dispute with general manager Dan Reeves. Still, the Rams, despite playing the league's toughest schedule, faced almost the same situation as in 1970. After falling behind the 49ers in week 7, they rallied back to take the division lead going into another week 13 Monday night game in L.A. This time, the opponent was George Allen's Redskins. After falling behind 31-10, Gabriel led the Rams back to within 31-24 and was driving to a possible tying score when he was intercepted; it was returned for a touchdown and the Redskins won. Once again, the Rams fell into 2nd place behind the 49ers and behind the Redskins for the wild card berth. Despite winning in Pittsburgh in week 14, the 49ers came from behind to beat the Lions, 31-27 and win the division.
In 1972, Gabriel's knee and shoulder injury problems got worse. After making 89 consecutive starts
Most consecutive starts by a quarterback (NFL)
This is a list of the most consecutive starts by a quarterback in the NFL. Only six quarterbacks in NFL history have been able to achieve regular season streaks of at least 100 games, with only two of those with a regular season streak of at least 200 games....
over eight seasons, he missed 2 games and lost playing time in all 12 others. Still, after a Monday night win in San Francisco in week 12, the Rams regained 1st place. But losses to the Cardinals and Lions in the final two weeks doomed their season.
After the 1972 season, the Rams hired Chuck Knox
Chuck Knox
Charles Robert "Chuck" Knox is a former American football coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He is best remembered as head coach of three National Football League teams, the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills, and the Los Angeles Rams, serving two separate stints with...
as their new coach, and obtained John Hadl
John Hadl
John Willard Hadl is a former collegiate and professional football player.Hadl was born in Lawrence, Kansas. After playing halfback on both offense and defense at the University of Kansas as a sophomore, Hadl played quarterback for his last two years at Kansas, and was selected as the school's...
to be quarterback. Gabriel was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1973. Gabriel went to a 2-11-1 Eagle team and turned them around to a 5-8-1 team. Gabriel was voted to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time and was voted the "Comeback player of the Year" by Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
. For the 1973 Season Gabriel led the Eagles with 270 completions, 460 attempts and 3,219 yards and 23 touchdowns (all league highs) as the Eagles offense was the most prolific passing game in the NFL.
Gabriel played though 1977 but his final two years were in a backup role. In his career he had a winning record of 86-64-7 and passes for over 29,000 yards and 201 touchdowns. He is the only quarterback from his era to still rank high in the "lowest interception percentage" category in NFL passing statistics.
World League of American Football (WLAF) coaching career
He was the head coach of the Raleigh-Durham SkyhawksRaleigh-Durham Skyhawks
The Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks were an American football team headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina that played for one season in 1991 in the World League of American Football . The name was inspired by the Wright brothers' flights on the Outer Banks of North Carolina...
of the World League of American Football
World League of American Football
The World League of American Football was founded in 1990 with support from the National Football League to play professional American football in North America, Europe and later possibly Asia...
, becoming the only coach to have a perfect losing season (0-10), in the inaugural season of 1991-1992. The team disbanded shortly thereafter.
Acting career
Gabriel had a brief career in movies, playing a prison guard in Otto PremingerOtto Preminger
Otto Ludwig Preminger was an Austro–Hungarian-American theatre and film director.After moving from the theatre to Hollywood, he directed over 35 feature films in a five-decade career. He rose to prominence for stylish film noir mysteries such as Laura and Fallen Angel...
's 1968 spoof Skidoo
Skidoo (film)
Skidoo is an American comedy film directed by Otto Preminger, starring Jackie Gleason and Carol Channing, written by Doran William Cannon and released by Paramount Pictures on December 19, 1968...
and an American Indian named "Blue Boy" in the 1969 John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
film The Undefeated
The Undefeated (1969 film)
The Undefeated is a 1969 American Western film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and John Wayne and starring John Wayne and Rock Hudson. The film portrays events surrounding the French Intervention in Mexico and is also loosely based on General J. O...
. Gabriel's dark complexion gave rise to a popular belief that he may really be a Native American , but this is not the case; he is actually Filipino American on his father's side and Irish-American on his mother's. Gabriel had previously appeared as a headhunter in the November 14, 1966 "Topsy-Turvey" episode of CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
' Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island is an American television series created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz and originally produced by United Artists Television. The situation comedy series featured Bob Denver; Alan Hale, Jr.; Jim Backus; Natalie Schafer; Tina Louise; Russell Johnson; and Dawn Wells. It aired for...
.
Personal life
During his years with the Rams, Gabriel co-owned two VolkswagenVolkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
dealerships in the South Bay area of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with teammate Merlin Olsen
Merlin Olsen
Merlin Jay Olsen was an American football player in the National Football League, NFL commentator, and actor. He played his entire 15-year career with the Los Angeles Rams and was elected to the Pro Bowl in 14 of those seasons, a current record shared with Bruce Matthews...
. After retirement from pro football in 1977, Gabriel went into broadcasting as a color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
for CBS
NFL on CBS
The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:...
television and, later, Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
radio. Committed to charity work in his home of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
, he has raised over $5 million for charity through RG Sports Connection trust through which he promoted celebrity golf tournaments for various charities - multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, leukemia, the blind, the Special Olympics and the Salvation Army.
Gabriel was married to:
- Lisa Katolin (29 October 1980–2005)(ANNULMENT) 1 child Amber Noel
- Tedra Bidwell (29 January 1972 - 6 August 1980) (divorced) 1 child Brandon
- Suzanne Horton (1960–1971) (divorced) 3 Children: Roman III, Ram Allen, Rory Jay
Awards
- 1973 -NFL Comeback Player of the Year
- 1969- NFL Most Valuable Player AwardNFL Most Valuable Player AwardThe National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is given by various entities, most notably the Associated Press , to the player who is considered most valuable in the league. When the award is referred to without mentioning the organization, it generally means the AP award. The AP NFL MVP...
, AP, UPI, NEA, and the Bert Bell MVP Trophy (Maxwell Club) - 1970 - Pro Bowl MVP
See also
- Gunslinger
- Most consecutive starts by a quarterback (NFL)Most consecutive starts by a quarterback (NFL)This is a list of the most consecutive starts by a quarterback in the NFL. Only six quarterbacks in NFL history have been able to achieve regular season streaks of at least 100 games, with only two of those with a regular season streak of at least 200 games....