Gerald Tinker
Encyclopedia
Gerald Alexander Tinker (born January 19, 1951) is a former track athlete and American football
player, winner of gold medal in th 4 x 100 metres relay
at the 1972 Summer Olympics
.
in Miami, Florida
where he excelled as a football
and track athlete.
, Gerald Tinker ran the third leg in the American 4 x 100 metres relay team, which won a gold medal and equalled the United States' own world record
of 38.19. Ironically, his cousin, Larry Black
, also ran a leg in that same relay. Larry Black attended Miami Killian High School
where he also was a track star. His school was a football rival of Coral Gables Senior High School that Gerald attended. Despite that, both teamed up to help win Olympic Gold.
by the Atlanta Falcons
in the 2nd round (44th overall) of the 1974 NFL Draft
as wide receiver
. He played for the Falcons (1974–1975) and the Green Bay Packers
(1975).
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player, winner of gold medal in th 4 x 100 metres relay
4 x 100 metres relay
The 4 × 100 metres relay or sprint relay is an athletics track event run in lanes over one lap of the track with four runners completing 100 metres each. The first runners begin in the same stagger as for the individual 400 m race...
at the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
.
Early years
Gerald Tinker attended Coral Gables High SchoolCoral Gables High School
Coral Gables Senior High School is a secondary school located at 450 Bird Road in Coral Gables, Florida, USA.Coral Gables SHS opened its doors in 1950; its architectural design reflects a Spanish influence with its open courtyards adorned with water fountains...
in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
where he excelled as a football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
and track athlete.
Olympics
At the München OlympicsOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, Gerald Tinker ran the third leg in the American 4 x 100 metres relay team, which won a gold medal and equalled the United States' own world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
of 38.19. Ironically, his cousin, Larry Black
Larry Black
Larry Jeffery Black was an American athlete, winner of the gold medal in the 4 x 100 m relay and silver medal in the 200 m at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich....
, also ran a leg in that same relay. Larry Black attended Miami Killian High School
Miami Killian High School
Miami Killian Senior High School is a secondary school located in Miami, Florida, USA. The school is part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools System.-Academics:...
where he also was a track star. His school was a football rival of Coral Gables Senior High School that Gerald attended. Despite that, both teamed up to help win Olympic Gold.
NFL career
After the Olympics, Tinker was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
by the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 2nd round (44th overall) of the 1974 NFL Draft
1974 NFL Draft
The 1974 National Football League Draft took place at the Americana Hotel in New York City on January 29–30, 1974. Each of the 26 NFL teams was granted 17 selections for a total of 442 picks....
as wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
. He played for the Falcons (1974–1975) and the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
(1975).