Dennis Gildea

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Dennis Gildea
refer to caption
Gildea in 1942.
Personal information
Born:(1898-10-09)October 9, 1898
Boston, Massachusetts
Died:February 22, 1976(1976-02-22) (aged 77)
Peabody, Massachusetts
Height:5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school:Boston College High School
College:Holy Cross
Position:Center
Career history

Dennis Anthony Gildea (October 9, 1898 – February 22, 1976) was an American football player and coach.

Early life and military service[edit]

Gildea was born on October 9, 1898, in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.[1] He attended Boston College High School.[2] He enlisted and served in the United States Army during World War I.[3]

College football[edit]

Gildea played Center for the Holy Cross Crusaders from 1920 to 1922. The Crusaders went 17–9 during Gildea's three years on the team.[4] He was elected captain during the 1921 season.[5] “The Iron Major” Frank Cavanaugh rated him as one of the best blockers he ever saw.[4]

Early coaching career[edit]

In 1922 and 1923, Gildea served as assistant coach at Fitchburg High School.[6] He then served as head coach at Leominster High School in 1924 and 1925.[2]

NFL[edit]

In 1926, played seven games for the Hartford Blues of the National Football League.[1]

Everett High School[edit]

From 1926 to 1954, Gildea was head football coach at Everett High School.[7] He compiled an overall record of 163–72–29.[4] His teams were champions in 1927, 1936, and 1945. Gildea was known as an innovator in high school football. His 1940s teams used the T formation and he was one of the first coaches to frequently use substitutions and special assignments for certain players.[2]

In addition to serving as EHS's football coach, Gildea was also an English teacher, baseball and track and field coach, and from 1945 to 1963 served as athletic director.[2]

Personal life and death[edit]

In 1926 Gildea married Ethel K. Barry, a schoolteacher from Cambridge, Massachusetts.[8] They had two children, Barry and Dennis, Jr.[2] Barry played football for Everett High and coached football at Holbrook High School, Lynn English High School, and Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School.[9] Dennis, Jr. worked as a night manager at a Roy Rogers outside of Alexandria, Virginia. He was one of four men killed in a high-profile robbery there on March 6, 1976.[10]

In 1935, Gildea graduated from Boston College Law School.[11]

Gildea died of a stroke on February 22, 1976, in Peabody, Massachusetts.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Dennis Gildea". Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Buchanan, William (February 24, 1976). "Denny Gildea, 77, Everett High football coach". The Boston Globe.
  3. ^ U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010
  4. ^ a b c "Dennis A. Gildea". Holy Cross. College of the Holy Cross - Department of Athletics. Archived from the original on July 13, 2013. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  5. ^ "Gildea to Captain Holy Cross" (PDF). The New York Times. December 17, 1920. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  6. ^ "The Fitchburg Squad". Forest Leaves. 16. Hall-Heileman Company: 619. 1922.
  7. ^ City of Everett 1892-1970 (PDF).
  8. ^ "Everett". The Boston Daily Globe. July 27, 1926.
  9. ^ "R. Barry Gildea, 57 Was Wakefield schoolteacher". The Boston Globe. October 26, 1991.
  10. ^ "Son of Everett man one of 4 killed in Va". The Boston Globe. March 7, 1976.
  11. ^ "Deaths". Bridge Magazine. Winter 1976.
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