Ace Gutowsky
Encyclopedia
LeRoy Erwin "Ace" Gutowsky (August 2, 1909 – December 4, 1976) was an American football
fullback
. He played professional football for eight years from 1932 to 1939 and set the NFL
career rushing record in October 1939. He held the Detroit Lions
' career and single-season rushing records until the 1960s.
, where Gutowsky was raised. Gutowsky learned to play football in the sandlots of Kingfisher and became an outstanding athlete at Kingfisher High School. Pappy Waldorf
recruited him to play football at Oklahoma City University
. With Waldorf as coach and Gutowsky in the backfield, the Oklahoma City Goldbugs rose to success in football. Former teammate Leo Higbie recalled, "Lynn Waldorf got OCU's football program really going in 1927 when he brought the great Ace Gutowsky of Kingfisher to the school." With Gutowsky in the backfield, the Goldbugs lost only one game in the first two years of the 1930s.
for the Portsmouth Spartans (1932–1933), Detroit Lions
(1934–1938) and Brooklyn Dodgers
(1939). At and 201 pounds (91.2 kg), Gutowsky played principally at the fullback position. As a two-way player, Gutowsky's duties on defense were those which in modern football would be associated with a linebacker or defensive back.
Playing for the Portsmouth Spartans in 1932, Gutowsky was tripped by coaching legend George Halas
in a championship game against the Chicago Bears
. With the Bears leading and four minutes left in the game, Gutowsky took a kickoff and began returning the ball along the sideline. Halas "stuck out his foot and tripped Gutowsky as he ran past with the ball." The officials didn't notice, but Portsmouth coach Potsy Clark "went off like a roman candle" and told Halas he was playing the game under protest. Halas reportedly responded by yelling, "Protest this," while "saluting Clark with a single finger."
Gutowsky enjoyed his greatest success as a member of the Detroit Lions from 1934 to 1936. In 1934, he carried the ball 146 times for the Lions, the highest number of carries by any player during the 1934 NFL season
. Gutowsky was also one of the leaders on a defense that ran seven straight shutouts and gave up only 59 points in 13 games. The following year, he was a member of the 1935 Detroit Lions
team that defeated the New York Giants
in the 1935 NFL Championship Game. In the mid-1930s, the Lions' backfield with Gutowsky, Dutch Clark and Ernie Caddel
became known as the "Infantry Attack." While Clark was considered the "flashier" back, Gutowsky was regarded as the "workhorse" and "the one they turned to when the ball was near the goal line." Teammate Glenn Presnell
later recalled that Gutowsky was "a hard line plunger."
In 1936, the Lions rushed for 2,885 yards, a mark that stood as the NFL single-season team rushing record until 1972. Gutowsky led the NFL that year with 857 yards from scrimmage, ranking ahead of teammate Dutch Clark and future Hall of Fame inductees Bronko Nagurski
and Don Hutson
. He also ranked second in the NFL behind Tuffy Leemans in rushing attempts (191), rushing yards (827), and rushing yards per game (68.9). His six rushing touchdowns in 1936 was exceeded only by his teammate Dutch Clark. His 827 rushing yards was the Lions' single-single season rushing record until 1960, when Nick Pietrosante
rushed for 872 yards.
Gutowsky finished his playing career in 1939 with the Brooklyn Dodgers football team. On October 22, 1939, in a 23–14 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles
, Gutowsky broke Cliff Battles' NFL career rushing record. While his NFL rushing record was short-lived, he continued to hold the Lions' career rushing record into the 1960s. When he concluded his career in the NFL, Gutowsky, Clarke Hinkle
and Bronko Nagurski
were rated as "the greatest fullbacks ever to play professional football."
, that was estimated at 117,000,000 barrels. Gutowsky's father discovered the oil field using a "doodlebug," a "homemade divining rod" and "struck it rich" as several major oil companies bought leases from him. By 1944, Time magazine called the West Edmond field the "greatest concentration of rotary drilling rigs in the world."
After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II
, Gutowsky went into the oil business with his father. He also served as the line coach for Oklahoma City University in the late 1940s.
Gutowsky became a champion bridge
player, winning the 1951 Men's Board-a-Match Teams
. The American Contract Bridge Association gave him the "life master" ranking, making him the first Oklahoman to achieve the highest ranking in bridge.
Gutwosky died of cancer in December 1976 at Kingfisher, Oklahoma. He was buried in the Kingfisher Cemetery.
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...
fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
. He played professional football for eight years from 1932 to 1939 and set the 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...
career rushing record in October 1939. He held 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...
' career and single-season rushing records until the 1960s.
Early years
Gutowsky was born of Polish extraction in Russia in 1909. He came to the United States with his father when he was five weeks old. They settled in Kingfisher, OklahomaKingfisher, Oklahoma
Kingfisher is a city in and the county seat of Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 4,380 at the 2000 census. It is the former home and namesake of Kingfisher College.-History:...
, where Gutowsky was raised. Gutowsky learned to play football in the sandlots of Kingfisher and became an outstanding athlete at Kingfisher High School. Pappy Waldorf
Pappy Waldorf
Lynn Osbert "Pappy" Waldorf was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, now Oklahoma State University–Stillwater, , Kansas State University , Northwestern University , and the University of California, Berkeley ,...
recruited him to play football at Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City University, often referred to as OCU, is a coeducational, urban, private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church...
. With Waldorf as coach and Gutowsky in the backfield, the Oklahoma City Goldbugs rose to success in football. Former teammate Leo Higbie recalled, "Lynn Waldorf got OCU's football program really going in 1927 when he brought the great Ace Gutowsky of Kingfisher to the school." With Gutowsky in the backfield, the Goldbugs lost only one game in the first two years of the 1930s.
Professional football
Gutowsky played eight years of professional football in the National Football LeagueNational 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...
for the Portsmouth Spartans (1932–1933), 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...
(1934–1938) and Brooklyn Dodgers
Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)
The Brooklyn Dodgers were an American football team that played in the National Football League from 1930 to 1943, and in 1944 as the Brooklyn Tigers. The team played its home games at Ebbets Field. In 1945, because of financial difficulties, the team was merged with the Boston Yanks...
(1939). At and 201 pounds (91.2 kg), Gutowsky played principally at the fullback position. As a two-way player, Gutowsky's duties on defense were those which in modern football would be associated with a linebacker or defensive back.
Playing for the Portsmouth Spartans in 1932, Gutowsky was tripped by coaching legend George Halas
George Halas
George Stanley Halas, Sr. , nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was a player, coach, owner and pioneer in professional American football. He was the iconic longtime leader of the NFL's Chicago Bears...
in a championship game against 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...
. With the Bears leading and four minutes left in the game, Gutowsky took a kickoff and began returning the ball along the sideline. Halas "stuck out his foot and tripped Gutowsky as he ran past with the ball." The officials didn't notice, but Portsmouth coach Potsy Clark "went off like a roman candle" and told Halas he was playing the game under protest. Halas reportedly responded by yelling, "Protest this," while "saluting Clark with a single finger."
Gutowsky enjoyed his greatest success as a member of the Detroit Lions from 1934 to 1936. In 1934, he carried the ball 146 times for the Lions, the highest number of carries by any player during the 1934 NFL season
1934 NFL season
The 1934 NFL season was the 15th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, the Portsmouth Spartans moved to Detroit, Michigan and were renamed the Detroit Lions....
. Gutowsky was also one of the leaders on a defense that ran seven straight shutouts and gave up only 59 points in 13 games. The following year, he was a member of the 1935 Detroit Lions
1935 Detroit Lions season
The 1935 Detroit Lions season resulted in the Lions winning their first NFL Championship. In their second season in Detroit, the Lions placed first in the NFL's Western Division and went on to defeat the New York Giants in the 1935 NFL Championship Game. The team was coached by Potsy Clark...
team that defeated the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1935 NFL Championship Game. In the mid-1930s, the Lions' backfield with Gutowsky, Dutch Clark and Ernie Caddel
Ernie Caddel
Ernest Wiley Caddel was an American football running back. He played college football for Glenn "Pop" Warner at Stanford University from 1930 to 1932 and later played six seasons in the National Football League for the Portsmouth Spartans and Detroit Lions...
became known as the "Infantry Attack." While Clark was considered the "flashier" back, Gutowsky was regarded as the "workhorse" and "the one they turned to when the ball was near the goal line." Teammate Glenn Presnell
Glenn Presnell
Glenn Emery "Press" Presnell was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He set the NFL single-season scoring record in 1933 and led the league in total offense. He was the last surviving member of the Detroit Lions inaugural 1934 team and helped lead the team to...
later recalled that Gutowsky was "a hard line plunger."
In 1936, the Lions rushed for 2,885 yards, a mark that stood as the NFL single-season team rushing record until 1972. Gutowsky led the NFL that year with 857 yards from scrimmage, ranking ahead of teammate Dutch Clark and future Hall of Fame inductees Bronko Nagurski
Bronko Nagurski
Bronislau "Bronko" Nagurski was a Canadian-born American football player. He was also a successful professional wrestler, recognized as a multiple-time world heavyweight champion.-Youth and collegiate career:...
and Don Hutson
Don Hutson
Donald Montgomery Hutson was the first star wide receiver in National Football League history. He is considered by many to have been the first modern receiver....
. He also ranked second in the NFL behind Tuffy Leemans in rushing attempts (191), rushing yards (827), and rushing yards per game (68.9). His six rushing touchdowns in 1936 was exceeded only by his teammate Dutch Clark. His 827 rushing yards was the Lions' single-single season rushing record until 1960, when Nick Pietrosante
Nick Pietrosante
Nick Pietrosante was an All-Pro fullback in the National Football League. Raised in Ansonia, Connecticut, he attended Notre Dame High School of West Haven, Connecticut, graduating with the Class of 1954. He was the first All State athlete at Notre Dame High School...
rushed for 872 yards.
Gutowsky finished his playing career in 1939 with the Brooklyn Dodgers football team. On October 22, 1939, in a 23–14 victory over 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...
, Gutowsky broke Cliff Battles' NFL career rushing record. While his NFL rushing record was short-lived, he continued to hold the Lions' career rushing record into the 1960s. When he concluded his career in the NFL, Gutowsky, Clarke Hinkle
Clarke Hinkle
William Clarke Hinkle was a professional American football player for the Green Bay Packers. Wearing # 30, he played Tailback and Linebacker from 1932 to 1941....
and Bronko Nagurski
Bronko Nagurski
Bronislau "Bronko" Nagurski was a Canadian-born American football player. He was also a successful professional wrestler, recognized as a multiple-time world heavyweight champion.-Youth and collegiate career:...
were rated as "the greatest fullbacks ever to play professional football."
Later years
Gutowsky's father, Assaph "Ace" Gutowsky, was in the oil business. He became convinced that a major petroleum deposit lay under the area north of Oklahoma City and scouted the area extensively. In 1942 or 1943, Gutowsky's father discovered an oil field at West Edmond, OklahomaEdmond, Oklahoma
Edmond is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area in the central part of the state. As of the 2010 census, the population was 81,405, making it the sixth largest city in the state of Oklahoma....
, that was estimated at 117,000,000 barrels. Gutowsky's father discovered the oil field using a "doodlebug," a "homemade divining rod" and "struck it rich" as several major oil companies bought leases from him. By 1944, Time magazine called the West Edmond field the "greatest concentration of rotary drilling rigs in the world."
After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Gutowsky went into the oil business with his father. He also served as the line coach for Oklahoma City University in the late 1940s.
Gutowsky became a champion bridge
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
player, winning the 1951 Men's Board-a-Match Teams
Mitchell Board-a-Match Teams
The Mitchell Board-a-Match Teams national bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League North American Bridge Championship ....
. The American Contract Bridge Association gave him the "life master" ranking, making him the first Oklahoman to achieve the highest ranking in bridge.
Gutwosky died of cancer in December 1976 at Kingfisher, Oklahoma. He was buried in the Kingfisher Cemetery.