| No. 35, 28 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Halfback | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | February 26, 1938 Zanesville, Ohio, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died: | January 5, 2024 (aged 85) | ||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Zanesville | ||||||||
| College: | New Mexico State | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1961 / round: 2 / pick: 17 | ||||||||
| AFL draft: | 1961 / round: 1 / pick: 4 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Robert James Gaiters (February 26, 1938 – January 5, 2024) was an American professional football player who was a halfback in the National Football League (NFL).
Gaiters attended Santa Ana Junior College, and transferred to New Mexico State University in 1959.[1] He was a star player on their Aggies football team.[2] A fast tailback weighing over two hundred pounds (91 kg),[3] Gaiters helped lead the Aggies during their undefeated season in 1960, and claimed the collegiate national championships in rushing and scoring.[4][5]
Gaiters was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 1961 American Football League Draft and by the New York Giants in the 1961 NFL draft. He played two seasons in the NFL, spending time with the Giants and San Francisco 49ers. Gaiters spent the 1963 season with the Broncos of the AFL.[6] He then played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League in 1964.[7]
Gaiters finished his career in the Continental Football League where he played for the Newark Bears in 1965, the Hartford Charter Oaks in 1966 and the Orange County Ramblers in 1967.[8][9][10]
Gaiters died on January 5, 2024, at the age of 85.[11][12]
- ^ "Spring Football Drills Underway at NuMex State". Alamogordo Daily News. Alamogordo, NM. AP. April 15, 1959. Retrieved September 7, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "'Best Game Of Life'". Alamogordo Daily News. Alamogordo, NM. January 3, 1960. Retrieved September 7, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Starting Eleven". Alamogordo Daily News. Alamogordo, NM. December 28, 1960. Retrieved September 7, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Gaiters Holds Two Crowns". Alamogordo Daily News. Alamogordo, NM. AP. November 23, 1960. Retrieved September 7, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "College Football 1960 Year Summary". Sports-reference.com. SportsDirect. 2015. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
- ^ "Bob Gaiters Statistics". Pro-football-reference.com. SportsDirect. 2015. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
- ^ "Bob Gaiters". justsportsstats.com. Just Sports Stats. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
- ^ "Bulldogs Risk Unbeaten String Against Bears". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, PA. UPI. September 17, 1965. Retrieved March 9, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Continental League Hopes For Big Time". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, PA. UPI. September 11, 1966. Retrieved March 9, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Ramblers Near Division Title". Independent (Long Beach). Long Beach, CA. UPI. October 30, 1967. Retrieved March 9, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Zanesville legend, NFL player passes away
- ^ Gaiters, national rushing leader for NMSU, dies at 85
