Wally Gabler
Encyclopedia
Wallace "Wally" Gabler is a retired professional American football
player. He was the starting quarterback
for the 1965 Michigan Wolverines football team
and played seven seasons in the Canadian Football League
.
, and attended Kimball High School
in Royal Oak, Michigan
.
in 1962 and played for the Michigan Wolverines football
team. As a junior, Gabler appeared as a backup to Bob Timberlake on the 1964 Michigan team
that won the Big Ten Conference
championship.
As a senior in 1965, Gabler began the season as a backup to Dick Vidmer
. Gabler got his first start in the fifth game of the season against Purdue. Gabler completed 9 of 28 passes in the game for 137 yards, including a touchdown pass to Jack Clancy
. Gabler also started Michigan's remaining five games against Minnesota (13 of 23 for 124 yards), Wisconsin (5 of 12 for 121 yards), Illinois (7 of 12 for 124 yards), Northwestern (10 of 20 for 116 yards) and Ohio State (4 of 11 for 56 yards). Over the course of the 1965 season, Gabler completed 58 of 126 passes for 825 yards, four touchdown passes and two interceptions. He also gained 149 rushing yards for the 1965 Wolverines.
Following his senior year, Gabler played in the 1965 Blue–Gray Football Classic.
after graduating from Michigan in 1966. He began his professional football career as the starting quarterback for the Toronto Argonauts
. As a rookie, he passed for 1,659 yards and rushed for another 373 yards. In his history of the Argonauts, Craig Wallace wrote: "In 1966, the offence was based on Wally Gabler running around the backfield looking for open receivers -- and when he couldn't find one, running for his life." Gabler remained with the Argonauts for three years. He had his best year in 1968 when he completed 205 of 365 passes for 3,242 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also rushed for 458 yards and four touchdowns for the 1968 Argonauts.
Interviewed in 1968, Gabler described his adjustment to the Canadian rules: "Of course, changing to three downs makes some difference. You have to be accustomed to putting the ball in the air more in Canada but the rules compensate."
In August 1969, Gabler was traded to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
in exchange for Dave Raimey
. Gabler gained 2,288 passing yards for the Blue Bombers in 1969.
During the 1970 season, Gabler was traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
. He passed for 1,908 yards for the Tiger-Cats in 1970. He led the team to the Eastern regular season championship in 1970. In November 1970, the Canadian Press
published a feature story about Gabler's role in leading the Tiger-Cats. The article described Gabler as "scholarly" and "soft-spoken" and noted:
During the off-seasons from 1967 to 1971, Gabler sold securities for Richardson Securities of Canada.
In August 1972, Gabler returned to the Toronto Argonauts, who lost their quarterback Joe Theismann
in the season opener. Gabler concluded his playing career in Toronto during the 1972 season, passing for 1,689 yards in 10 games.
In seven years in the CFL, Gabler completed 848 of 1,690 passes for 13,080 yards, 61 touchdowns and 118 interceptions.
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...
player. He was the starting quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the 1965 Michigan Wolverines football team
1965 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1965 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1965 college football season. The team's head coach was Bump Elliott...
and played seven seasons in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
.
Early years
Gabler was born in Portsmouth, OhioPortsmouth, Ohio
Portsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
, and attended Kimball High School
Royal Oak High School
Royal Oak High School is a secondary educational facility located in Royal Oak, Michigan. The current principal is Michael Greening.-History:ROHS is a 2006 consolidation of former intra-city rivals Royal Oak George A. Dondero High School and...
in Royal Oak, Michigan
Royal Oak, Michigan
Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 57,236. It should not be confused with Royal Oak Charter Township, a separate community located nearby....
.
University of Michigan
Gabler enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1962 and played for the Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
team. As a junior, Gabler appeared as a backup to Bob Timberlake on the 1964 Michigan team
1964 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1964 Michigan Wolverines football team, coached by Bump Elliott, won the Big Ten Conference championship with a final record of 9–1 after defeating Oregon State in the Rose Bowl, 34–7. The team had two first-team All-Americans in quarterback Bob Timberlake and defensive tackle Bill...
that won the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championship.
As a senior in 1965, Gabler began the season as a backup to Dick Vidmer
Dick Vidmer
Richard F. "Dick" Vidmer was an American football player who played quarterback for the University of Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1965 to 1967....
. Gabler got his first start in the fifth game of the season against Purdue. Gabler completed 9 of 28 passes in the game for 137 yards, including a touchdown pass to Jack Clancy
Jack Clancy
Jack David Clancy is a former American football wide receiver who played for the Miami Dolphins in 1967 and 1969 and for the Green Bay Packers in 1970. He also played in college for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1963 to 1966....
. Gabler also started Michigan's remaining five games against Minnesota (13 of 23 for 124 yards), Wisconsin (5 of 12 for 121 yards), Illinois (7 of 12 for 124 yards), Northwestern (10 of 20 for 116 yards) and Ohio State (4 of 11 for 56 yards). Over the course of the 1965 season, Gabler completed 58 of 126 passes for 825 yards, four touchdown passes and two interceptions. He also gained 149 rushing yards for the 1965 Wolverines.
Following his senior year, Gabler played in the 1965 Blue–Gray Football Classic.
Canadian Football League
Gabler played seven years in the Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
after graduating from Michigan in 1966. He began his professional football career as the starting quarterback for the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
. As a rookie, he passed for 1,659 yards and rushed for another 373 yards. In his history of the Argonauts, Craig Wallace wrote: "In 1966, the offence was based on Wally Gabler running around the backfield looking for open receivers -- and when he couldn't find one, running for his life." Gabler remained with the Argonauts for three years. He had his best year in 1968 when he completed 205 of 365 passes for 3,242 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also rushed for 458 yards and four touchdowns for the 1968 Argonauts.
Interviewed in 1968, Gabler described his adjustment to the Canadian rules: "Of course, changing to three downs makes some difference. You have to be accustomed to putting the ball in the air more in Canada but the rules compensate."
In August 1969, Gabler was traded to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
in exchange for Dave Raimey
Dave Raimey
David Raimey is a former running back and defensive back for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1965 to 1968 and the Toronto Argonauts from 1969 to 1974 of the Canadian Football League...
. Gabler gained 2,288 passing yards for the Blue Bombers in 1969.
During the 1970 season, Gabler was traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
. He passed for 1,908 yards for the Tiger-Cats in 1970. He led the team to the Eastern regular season championship in 1970. In November 1970, the Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Canadian Press Enterprises Inc. is the entity which "will take over the operations of the Canadian Press" according to a November 26, 2010 article in the Toronto Star...
published a feature story about Gabler's role in leading the Tiger-Cats. The article described Gabler as "scholarly" and "soft-spoken" and noted:
"Wally Gabler's shoulders will be carrying the lion's share of the load Sunday when he directs the Tiger-Cats in the first game of the Eastern Football Conference final against the Montreal Alouettes. And it's ironic in view of the nomadic life the 26-year-old Royal Oak, Mich. native has experienced in his short career in the Canadian Football League. ... Arriving in late September to fill in at quarterback for injured Joe ZugerJoe ZugerJoe Zuger was a star football player in college and the Canadian Football League.-College career:He attended Arizona State University, between 1959 and 1961, where he excelled on offense, defence and as a punter. As quarterback, he compiled a 24-7 record in three years as a starter. He also played...
, Gabler quickly picked up the intricate Hamilton offence and was one of the instruments in the Tiger-Cats' first place finish."
During the off-seasons from 1967 to 1971, Gabler sold securities for Richardson Securities of Canada.
In August 1972, Gabler returned to the Toronto Argonauts, who lost their quarterback Joe Theismann
Joe Theismann
Joseph Robert "Joe" Theismann is a former quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League . He achieved his most enduring fame in his 12 seasons playing for the Washington Redskins, where he was a two-time Pro Bowler and quarterback of the winning team in Super Bowl XVII...
in the season opener. Gabler concluded his playing career in Toronto during the 1972 season, passing for 1,689 yards in 10 games.
In seven years in the CFL, Gabler completed 848 of 1,690 passes for 13,080 yards, 61 touchdowns and 118 interceptions.