![]() | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (September 2012) |
![]() Gehrke on a 1948 Bowman football card | |||||||
No. 22, 18 | |||||||
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Position: | Halfback / defensive back | ||||||
Personal information | |||||||
Born: | Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. | April 24, 1918||||||
Died: | February 9, 2002 Palm Springs, California, U.S. | (aged 83)||||||
Career information | |||||||
High school: | South High School (Utah) | ||||||
College: | Utah | ||||||
Undrafted: | 1940 | ||||||
Career history | |||||||
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Career highlights and awards | |||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Player stats at PFR | |||||||
Executive profile at PFR |
Clarence Fred Gehrke (/ˈɡərkiː/ GER-kee;[1] April 24, 1918 – February 9, 2002) was an American football player and executive. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cleveland / Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Cardinals from 1940 through 1950. To boost team morale, Gehrke designed and painted the Los Angeles Rams logo in 1948, which was the first painted on the helmets of an NFL team.[2] He later served as the general manager of the Denver Broncos from 1977 through 1981. He is the great-grandfather of Milwaukee Brewers left fielder and 2018 NL MVP Christian Yelich.[3]