# Gordie Lockbaum

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**Gordon Carl Lockbaum**[1][self-published source?] (born November 16, 1965) is an American former [college football](/source/College_football) player, who was a standout [two-way player](/source/Two-way_player) (playing both offense and defense) in [NCAA Division I-AA](/source/NCAA_Division_I-AA).

## College career

Lockbaum was raised in [Glassboro, New Jersey](/source/Glassboro,_New_Jersey), and spent his prep years at [Glassboro High School](/source/Glassboro_High_School) where he competed in football, baseball, and wrestling; he graduated in 1984.[2] Lockbaum attended the [College of the Holy Cross](/source/College_of_the_Holy_Cross) in [Worcester, Massachusetts](/source/Worcester,_Massachusetts), from 1984 to 1988, where he played [wide receiver](/source/Wide_receiver) and [halfback](/source/Halfback_(American_football)) on offense, [defensive back](/source/Defensive_back) on defense, and was a [kick returner](/source/Return_specialist) on [special teams](/source/Special_teams).[3]

Lockbaum was a starting [cornerback](/source/Cornerback) during his freshman season, and moved to [strong safety](/source/Strong_safety) as a sophomore. Before his junior season, the Holy Cross coaching staff (head coach [Mark Duffner](/source/Mark_Duffner), offensive coordinate [Tom Rossley](/source/Tom_Rossley), and defensive coordinator [Kevin Coyle](/source/Kevin_Coyle)) decided to use Lockbaum on both offense and defense. He became the first two-way player since [Leroy Keyes](/source/Leroy_Keyes) of [Purdue](/source/Purdue_Boilermakers_football) in 1968.

In Lockbaum's junior season of 1986, he rushed for 827 yards on 144 carries, caught 57 passes for 860 yards, and scored 22 touchdowns on offense; on defense he had 46 tackles, two fumble recoveries, and one interception; on special teams he returned 21 kickoffs for 452 yards.[4] In a game against [Dartmouth](/source/Dartmouth_Big_Green_football) he scored six touchdowns,[5] and in a game against [Army](/source/Army_Black_Knights_football) he was on the field for 143 of 171 total plays.[6] He was named [WTBS](/source/TBS_(U.S._TV_channel)) college football player of the year,[4] [New Jersey Sports Writers Association](/source/New_Jersey_Sports_Writers_Association) college player of the year,[7] and finished fifth in the [Heisman Trophy](/source/Heisman_Trophy) balloting.[8]

In his senior season of 1987, he rushed for 403 yards on 85 carries, and caught 77 passes for 1152 yards, amassing 2041 all-purpose yards and again scoring 22 touchdowns,[9] while continuing to play defense and special teams. He finished third in the Heisman Trophy balloting,[10] second in the [Maxwell Award](/source/Maxwell_Award) voting,[3] and was runner-up for the inaugural [Walter Payton Award](/source/Walter_Payton_Award) (Division I-AA player of the year).[11] After the conclusion of the regular season, Lockbaum was selected for three all-star games; the [Senior Bowl](/source/Senior_Bowl), the [East–West Shrine Game](/source/East%E2%80%93West_Shrine_Game), and the [Blue–Gray Football Classic](/source/Blue%E2%80%93Gray_Football_Classic). He appeared in all three games, seeing the most action in the Shrine Game, where he played five positions (cornerback, [free safety](/source/Free_safety), strong safety, [fullback](/source/Fullback_(gridiron_football)), and wide receiver).[12]

Lockbaum was a two-time First Team All-America selection ([1986](/source/1986_College_Football_All-America_Team) and [1987](/source/1987_College_Football_All-America_Team)) as a [defensive back](/source/Defensive_back). He still holds several Holy Cross offensive records, including most touchdowns in a season and most points in a season (22 and 132, respectively, accomplished in both 1986 and 1987).[13] Lockbaum was inducted into the Glassboro High School Hall of Fame in 1989,[2] the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1993,[14] the [College Football Hall of Fame](/source/College_Football_Hall_of_Fame) in 2001,[3] and the [ECAC](/source/Eastern_College_Athletic_Conference) Hall of Fame in 2017.[15]

## Professional career

Lockbaum was selected in the [1988 NFL draft](/source/1988_NFL_draft) by the [Pittsburgh Steelers](/source/Pittsburgh_Steelers) in the ninth round, and played for them during the preseason as a [running back](/source/Running_back), but was released by the team in August of that year.[16][17] In 1989, he was signed by the [Buffalo Bills](/source/Buffalo_Bills), who moved him to [safety](/source/Safety_(gridiron_football_position)), but he was again released before the start of the regular season.[18] In 1994, he played briefly for the [Massachusetts Marauders](/source/Massachusetts_Marauders) of the [Arena Football League](/source/Arena_Football_League).[19]

## Personal life

Lockbaum received a degree in [economics](/source/Economics) from Holy Cross, and became an executive for an insurance company.[20] His son, also nicknamed Gordie,[1] played [shortstop](/source/Shortstop) in the [2002 Little League World Series](/source/2002_Little_League_World_Series) for the Worcester team that reached the US championship game,[21] and later attended [Amherst College](/source/Amherst_College) where he was a defensive back on the football team.[22]

## References

1. Carew, Wally (2012). [*A Farewell to Glory: The Rise and Fall of an Epic Football Rivalry Boston College vs. Holy Cross*](https://books.google.com/books?id=-oyvMRckq0gC&pg=PA236). XLIBRIS. ISBN 978-1479702503. Retrieved May 29, 2017.

1. ["Sports Hall of Fame / Class of 1989 Inductees"](http://www.gpsd.us//site/default.aspx?PageID=506). *[Glassboro High School](/source/Glassboro_High_School)*. 1989. Retrieved May 30, 2017.

1. "College Football Hall of Fame: Gordie Lockbaum". *[National Football Foundation](/source/National_Football_Foundation)*. Retrieved April 16, 2007.

1. ["Lockbaum WTBS player of year"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11369189/lockbaum_wtbs_player_of_year/). *[Courier-Post](/source/Courier-Post)*. December 31, 1986. Retrieved May 30, 2017. – via newspapers.com.

1. ["Holy Cross' Lockbaum scores six TDs"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11375281/holy_cross_lockbaum_scores_six_tds/). *[The Journal News](/source/The_Journal_News)*. [AP](/source/Associated_Press). October 12, 1986. Retrieved May 30, 2017. – via newspapers.com.

1. McCluskey, Jack (November 11, 2011). ["Lockbaum remembers Heisman run"](http://www.espn.com/boston/ncf/story/_/page/heisman-boston-week8/gordie-lockbaum-remembers-time-heisman-contention). *[ESPN.com](/source/ESPN.com)*. Retrieved May 31, 2017.

1. ["N.J. scribes to honor Lockbaum, Rakoczy"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11369429/nj_scribes_to_honor_lockbaum_rakoczy/). *[Courier-Post](/source/Courier-Post)*. January 25, 1987. Retrieved May 30, 2017. – via newspapers.com.

1. ["1986 Heisman Trophy Voting"](https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-1986.html). *sports-reference.com*. Retrieved May 30, 2017.

1. ["Final Heisman Statistics"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11370773/final_heisman_statistics/). *[Fort Lauderdale News](/source/Fort_Lauderdale_News)*. November 29, 1987. Retrieved May 30, 2017. – via newspapers.com.

1. ["1987 Heisman Trophy Voting"](https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-1987.html). *sports-reference.com*. Retrieved May 30, 2017.

1. Greene, Bob (December 18, 1987). ["Gamble wins 1st Payton Award"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11369856/gamble_wins_1st_payton_award/). *[The Morning Call](/source/The_Morning_Call)*. [AP](/source/Associated_Press). Retrieved May 30, 2017. – via newspapers.com.

1. Fleischman, Bill (February 2, 1988). ["Lockbaum Fits in with Big Boys"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11370943/lockbaum_fits_in_with_big_boys/). *[Philadelphia Daily News](/source/Philadelphia_Daily_News)*. Retrieved May 30, 2017. – via newspapers.com.

1. ["2016 Holy Cross Football Fact Book"](https://web.archive.org/web/20171028235951/http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/33100/sports/football/archives/indiv-rec.pdf). *nmnathletics.com*. 2016. Archived from [the original](http://www.nmnathletics.com/fls/33100/sports/football/archives/indiv-rec.pdf) on October 28, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.

1. ["GORDON C. LOCKBAUM"](http://www.goholycross.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&ATCLID=210238352&DB_OEM_ID=33100). *goholycross.com*. Retrieved May 29, 2017.[dead link]

1. ["Lockbaum Selected For Induction In ECAC Hall Of Fame"](http://www.goholycross.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=33100&ATCLID=211516939). *goholycross.com*. March 10, 2017. Retrieved May 29, 2017.

1. ["1988 NFL Draft Listing"](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1988/draft.htm). *Pro-Football-Reference.com*. Retrieved 2023-09-23.

1. ["Lockbaum released; Haji-Sheikh loses out"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11329356/lockbaum_released/). *[Hartford Courant](/source/Hartford_Courant)*. [AP](/source/Associated_Press). August 24, 1988. Retrieved May 29, 2017. – via newspapers.com.

1. ["Bills cut Lockbaum, Johnson"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11329848/bills_cut_lockbaum/). *[Hartford Courant](/source/Hartford_Courant)*. [AP](/source/Associated_Press). September 5, 1989. Retrieved May 29, 2017. – via newspapers.com.

1. ["Gordie Lockbaum"](http://www.arenafan.com/players/Gordie_Lockbaum-970/). *arenafan.com*. Retrieved May 29, 2017.

1. ["Sullivan Group - About"](http://sullivangroup.com/about.html). *sullivangroup.com*. Retrieved May 29, 2017.

1. Diamos, Jason (August 25, 2002). ["Following in His Father's Footsteps, but This Time on the Basepaths."](http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30813FE3B580C768EDDA10894DA404482). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. p. Late Ed. - Final, sec 8, p.3. Retrieved April 17, 2007.

1. ["Gordie Lockbaum"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161210121441/http://athletics.amherst.edu/sports/fball/2010-11/bios/lockbaum_gordie_4aoi). *amherst.edu*. Archived from [the original](http://athletics.amherst.edu/sports/fball/2010-11/bios/lockbaum_gordie_4aoi) on December 10, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2017.

## Further reading

- ["ESPN flashes back to the inimitable Gordie Lockbaum"](https://www.boston.com/sports/media/2016/12/02/espn-flashes-back-to-the-inimitable-gordie-lockbaum/). *[The Boston Globe](/source/The_Boston_Globe)*. December 2, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
- Neumann, Thomas (October 15, 2015). ["Where are they now? Heisman Trophy finalist Gordie Lockbaum"](http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/13890379/where-now-holy-cross-football-star-gordie-lockbaum). *[ESPN.com](/source/ESPN.com)*. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
- Reilly, Rick (November 10, 1986). ["A Wonderful Throwback"](https://www.si.com/vault/issue/702310/42/2). *[Sports Illustrated](/source/Sports_Illustrated)*. pp. 34–38. Retrieved May 30, 2017.[dead link]
- Vecsey, George (November 23, 1986). ["SPORTS OF THE TIMES; Lockbaum Not Quite Enough"](https://www.nytimes.com/1986/11/23/sports/sports-of-the-times-lockbaum-not-quite-enough.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. Retrieved May 31, 2017.

## External links

- [30 for 30 Shorts: The Throwback](https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/b6233d3b-8aa0-4e68-824a-f7b4e582959b#bucketId=4001) at [ESPN.com](/source/ESPN.com)
- [Gordie Lockbaum Interview by Charter TV3 Central Mass.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKL-NztRPdI) at [YouTube](/source/YouTube)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gordie Lockbaum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordie_Lockbaum) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordie_Lockbaum?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.