One of Kentucky's Best, Bob Gain, turned 85 this Weekend

This picture (L to R) of Babe Parilli, Bear Bryant and Bob Gain hangs in the trophy room at the Nutter Training Facility.

A Happy Belated 85th Birthday to former Kentucky All-American Bob Gain. It’s hard to argue that there’s ever been a better offensive lineman at UK.

It’s hard for the common Cats’ fan to comprehend just how great Bear Bryant’s Kentucky football teams were, because suggesting similar success in the present is so laughable that it is unfathomable.

Gain was the best offensive lineman in America in 1950, with an Outland Trophy to prove it (the greatest award a UK player has ever earned). With future Hall of Famer Babe Parilli at quarterback, Bear’s Wildcats were nearly untouchable with a 10-1 record and a 13-7 victory over Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl.

Gain’s goal in 1950 was to make sure Kentucky’s Babe was untouchable, vowing to his QB that he would never hit the ground. “The girls always ‘ohed and ahd’ at him in his clean, white uniform,” Gain said. “The only time it ever got dirty was because he slipped. Even then, all he got was a little grass stain on his knee.”

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They sure don’t make em’ like Bob anymore. 230 pounds in 1950 was enormous, yet he was still agile enough to handle the team’s kicking duties. As a Pro Bowl defensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns, he took over for an injured Lou Groza (now known for having a “Best Kicker in America” trophy named after him) and didn’t miss a PAT.

He won 3 NFL Championships during his 12-year career that abruptly ended after a severe knee injury. He has stayed in the Cleveland area where he has watched his family grow over the years. After 62 years of marriage, he and his wife Kitty celebrated an anniversary and birthday Saturday, surrounded by their countless loved ones.

There aren’t many members of the “Greatest Generation” left, and they deserve our respect and admiration. Bob was one of the best on the field, and he continues to be one of the best off the field.