Nisha Rathode (Editor)

Ted Gerela

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Date of birth
  
March 12, 1944

Positions
  
Placekicker

Role
  
American football player

Name
  
Ted Gerela

1967-1973
  
British Columbia Lions


Place of birth
  
Sarrail, Alberta, Canada

College
  
Washington State University

Awards
  
1967 - Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy 1968 - Dave Dryburgh Memorial Trophy

Education
  
Washington State University

Ted Gerela is a former award-winning kicker in the Canadian Football League.

Life

Gerela, a graduate of Washington State University joined the British Columbia Lions in 1967 and played with them for 7 seasons. Though he was a versatile player (rushing 16 times, catching 13 passes and making 2 interceptions, as well as punting one season) he was unique in that he was primarily a kicking specialist. Previously, most kickers played another primary position. While not accurate by later standards (he only made 123 of 271 field goal attempts) he had a strong leg and regularly made field goals of 50 plus yards. He won the Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy as best rookie in the Western Conference in 1967.

Most notably, in 1968 he hit 30 field goals, which was a record for any professional league. He also won the conference scoring title, ushering in the era of the kicking specialist. All-Star selections were not made for kickers during his career. As of 2011, his 570 points was still 3rd highest in Lions history.

Gerela came from a particularly gifted family. His brothers were also professional kickers; Roy Gerela with the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers and Metro Gerela briefly with the Montreal Alouettes (Metro is enshrined in the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.) In 1993, his nephew Ted Gerela was drafted in the 7th round of the 1993 CFL Draft by the BC Lions as a linebacker from Rocky Mountain College.

References

Ted Gerela Wikipedia