Gil Steinke

Bio

Gil Steinke coached 23 years at Texas A&I (now Texas A&M Kingsville), beginning in 1954, and won six national championships in NAIA Division I. The title years were 1959, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, and 1976. When he retired after the 1976 season his team had won 39 consecutive games. He took that team on tour. In the summer Texas A&I played exhibition games in France, Austria, and West Germany. Besides his six NAIA championships, Texas A&I was runner-up in 1968. His overall record in postseason games was 14-1. His record for 23 seasons was 182-61-4, a winning percentage of .745. The 1976 Javelinas averaged 569.9 yards a game on offense, an all-time high. Steinke was a pioneer in integrating football in his area. In 1960 he recruited Sid Blanks, who was the first black to play for an integrated Texas school. In his senior year, 1963, Blanks was captain of the team. Steinke's teams won ten championships in the Lone Star Conference. In his time the school was called Texas A&I and was in the NAIA. Steinke was named to the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1971, the Texas Hall of Fame in 1977. As a player, Steinke performed for Texas A&I from 1938-41. He had a pro career with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1945-48 and in 1947 led the NFL in punt returns. He served as Texas A&I director of athletics from 1954-82. At his retirement ceremony, the president of the school called him "an institution within an institution." A building was named for him.