Gabe Patterson facts for kids
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| Nickname(s) | "Galloping Gabe" |
|---|---|
| Born: | September 9, 1919 Greenwood, South Carolina |
| Died: | October 26, 1991 (aged 72) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Career information | |
| CFL status | International |
| Position(s) | Halfback, Kicker |
| College | Kentucky State, Pittsburgh |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1947–48 | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| CFL All-Star | 1947, 1948 |
| Gabe Patterson | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Outfielder | |||
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| debut | |||
| 1941, for the New York Black Yankees | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1948, for the Philadelphia Stars | |||
| Teams | |||
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Gabe Patterson (born September 9, 1919 – died October 26, 1991) was an amazing American athlete. He played two professional sports: Canadian football and Negro league baseball. He was known for being a "multi-sport athlete," meaning he was great at more than one sport!
Contents
Gabe Patterson: A Football Star
Gabe Patterson started his football journey in high school at Schenley High School in Pittsburgh. He then played college football at Kentucky State and the University of Pittsburgh.
Professional Football Career
In 1947, Gabe Patterson was signed by the Montreal Alouettes, a professional Canadian football team. However, he was later released from that team.
Soon after, he joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He played for them for two seasons, in 1947 and 1948. During both of these seasons, he was chosen as an all-star player, showing how talented he was!
Breaking Barriers in Football
Gabe Patterson made history with the Roughriders. He was the very first African-American player to join the team. This was a big step, as he helped to "break the colour barrier" in Canadian football, just like another famous player, Herb Trawick, did for his team.
Gabe Patterson: A Baseball Player Too
Besides football, Gabe Patterson was also a professional baseball player. He played in the Negro leagues, which were professional baseball leagues for African-American players.
Professional Baseball Teams
Patterson played for the New York Black Yankees in 1941 and again in 1947. He also played for the Philadelphia Stars in 1947 and 1948. This means he was playing both football and baseball professionally in the same years!
Later Life
Gabe Patterson had a wife and three daughters. He passed away in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1991 when he was 72 years old.
Remembering a Legend
For many years, Gabe Patterson's grave did not have a marker. However, in 2009, the Negro Leagues Baseball Grave Marker Project placed a special marker on his grave. This project helps to honor and remember the important players from the Negro Leagues.
