Gino Marchetti facts for kids
1952 Bowman football card
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| No. 75, 89 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive end, Offensive tackle |
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born: | January 2, 1926 Smithers, West Virginia, U.S. |
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| Died: | April 29, 2019 (aged 93) Paoli, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 244 lb (111 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High school: | Antioch (CA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College: | Modesto JC (1950), San Francisco (1951) |
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| NFL Draft: | 1952 / Round: 2 / Pick: 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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Gino John Marchetti (born January 2, 1926 – died April 29, 2019) was a famous American football player. He played as a defensive end and sometimes as an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). Gino played for the Dallas Texans in 1952. From 1953 to 1966, he was a star player for the Baltimore Colts.
Gino Marchetti was so good that he was added to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972. He was also named to the NFL's All-Time Teams for its 50th, 75th, and 100th anniversaries. This shows how important he was in football history.
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Gino's Early Life and Military Service
Gino Marchetti was born in Smithers, West Virginia. His parents were immigrants from Italy. After finishing high school in California, Gino joined the U.S. Army. He served during World War II.
He was a machine gunner and fought in the difficult Battle of the Bulge. Gino later said that his time in the Army changed his life. It taught him discipline and helped him grow.
After the war, Gino returned home to California. He went to Modesto Junior College for a year. Then, he joined the football team at the University of San Francisco. His team had a perfect, undefeated season in 1951. In 1952, the New York Yanks picked him in the NFL draft.
A Star Football Career
Gino Marchetti started his NFL career with the New York Yanks. This team soon became the Dallas Texans. In 1953, the team moved again and became the Baltimore Colts. Gino played 13 seasons with the Colts. He helped them win two NFL Championships in 1958 and 1959.
During his time as a player, Gino was known for being very strong. He was great at stopping running plays. He was also a powerful pass-rusher, meaning he was good at tackling the opposing team's quarterback. The Pro Football Hall of Fame called him "the greatest defensive end in pro football history."
In 1954, Gino played as an offensive tackle. He didn't like this position, but it taught him how to get past blockers. He moved back to defensive end in 1955. That year, he was chosen for his first Pro Bowl, which is an all-star game for the best players.
A famous moment happened in the 1958 NFL Championship Game. Gino made a key tackle on Frank Gifford, stopping him just short of a first down. Gino broke his ankle on that play. But, as a team captain, he stayed on the sideline to watch his teammates finish the game. This injury made him miss the Pro Bowl that year. Even with the injury, Gino was chosen as a First-team All-Pro nine times.
Other coaches and players admired Gino's skills. Sid Gillman, a famous coach, once said it was "a waste of time to run around this guy's end." Forrest Gregg, another great player, called Marchetti "the best all-around player I ever played against."
Beyond Football: Gino's Hamburgers
In 1959, Gino Marchetti and some of his teammates, like Alan Ameche, started a fast food restaurant. This business grew and became very popular. It was eventually known as Gino's Hamburgers.
Gino's Hamburgers was a successful chain in the Mid-Atlantic region. By 1982, it had 313 locations. The company was sold to Marriott International. Marriott changed the name of the restaurants to Roy Rogers.
Years later, in 2009, Gino Marchetti worked with former Gino's employees to bring the restaurant back. The new company, called Gino's Burgers & Chicken, opened its first new store in 2010. While that first location later closed, the chain still operates restaurants in Maryland.
Gino's Family and Legacy
Gino Marchetti passed away on April 29, 2019, due to complications from pneumonia.
His grandson, Keith Carter, also became involved in football. Keith played as a tight end for UCLA. He later won a Super Bowl as a coach for the Seattle Seahawks.
Awards and Honors
Gino Marchetti received many awards for his amazing football career:
- Pro Bowl Selection (1955–1965)
- All-NFL Selection (1956–1964)
- NFL 50th Anniversary Team (1969)
- Pro Football Hall of Fame (1972)
- Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame (1985)
- NFL 75th Anniversary Team (1994)
- All-Madden All-Millennium Team (2000)
- NFL All-Time Team (2000)
- Ranked number 15 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players (1999)
- National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame
- NFL 100 Greatest Players (#39) (2010)
- Modesto Junior College Hall Of Fame (1990)
