View source for Gene Babb

{{Short description|American football player (1934–2018)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| image       =
| caption     = 
| position    = [[Linebacker]] / [[Fullback (American football)|Fullback]]
| number      = 32, 33
| birth_date  = {{Birth date|1934|12|27}}
| birth_place = [[El Paso, Texas]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{death date and age|2018|12|2|1934|12|27}}
| death_place = [[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 3
| weight_lbs  = 216
| draftyear   = 1957
| draftround  = 19
| draftpick   = 224
| high_school = [[Odessa High School (Texas)|Odessa]] ([[Odessa, Texas]])
| college     = [[Austin College|Austin]]
| teams       =
* [[San Francisco 49ers]] ({{NFL Year|1957}}–{{NFL Year|1958}})
* [[Dallas Cowboys]] ({{NFL Year|1960}}–{{NFL Year|1961}})
* [[Houston Oilers]] ([[1962 AFL season|1962]]–[[1963 AFL season|1963]])
| highlights  = 
| statlabel1  = Games played – [[Starting lineup|started]]
| statvalue1  = 76 – 14
| statlabel2  = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue2  = 4
| statlabel3  = [[Fumble]] recoveries
| statvalue3  = 2
| pfr         = BabbGe20 
}}

'''Gene Walter Babb''' (December 27, 1934 – December 2, 2018) was an [[American football]] [[Fullback (American football)|fullback]] and [[linebacker]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for the [[San Francisco 49ers]] and [[Dallas Cowboys]]. He also was a member of the [[Houston Oilers]] in the [[American Football League]] (AFL). He played [[college football]] at [[Austin College]].

==Early years==
Babb attended [[Odessa High School (Texas)|Odessa High School]] before moving on to the [[University of Texas at Austin|University of Texas]]. He later transferred to [[Austin College]]. Besides playing football, he also was a [[Golden Gloves]] boxer in college.

In 1969, he was inducted into the [[Austin College]] Hall of Honor.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.austincollege.edu/alumni/alumni-events/legends-weekend/athletic-hall-of-honor/ | title=Athletic Hall of Honor | accessdate=February 3, 2018}}</ref> The school also recognized him by creating the annual "Gene Babb Award" for the outstanding football player.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.austincollege.edu/austin-college-student-athletes/ | title=Austin College Student-Athletes Earn Awards | accessdate=February 3, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304210714/http://www.austincollege.edu/austin-college-student-athletes/ | archive-date=March 4, 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
<br /> He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Gerry Reed Babb; daughter, Tracy Babb Frazier and her husband Steve Frazier; his brother, Fred Babb. He loved his dogs throughout his life.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://strodefh.com/book-of-memories/3671406/babb-gene/obituary.php |title = Gene Babb Obituary - Stillwater, Oklahoma {{!}} Strode Funeral Home and Cremation}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Babb was an administrator for National Football Scouting Inc. He was the director of National Invitational Combine for twenty-three years until his retirement. He trained and developed numerous NFL clubs. He also served as director of [[NFL]] Films and first director of Alumni at Austin College. In 1969, he was inducted into Austin College's Athletic Hall of Honor.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://strodefh.com/book-of-memories/3671406/babb-gene/obituary.php |title = Gene Babb Obituary - Stillwater, Oklahoma {{!}} Strode Funeral Home and Cremation}}</ref>

==Professional career==

===San Francisco 49ers===
Babb was selected by the [[San Francisco 49ers]] in the nineteenth round (224th overall) of the [[1957 NFL draft]]. As a rookie, he was a key reserve player at [[Fullback (American football)|fullback]], rushing for 330 yards and 3 touchdowns.

In July [[1960 NFL season|1960]], he was traded to the [[Dallas Cowboys]] in exchange for a fifth-round draft choice (#58-[[Clark Miller]]).

===Dallas Cowboys===
Babb was primarily a reserve [[Fullback (American football)|fullback]], starting in five games during the [[Dallas Cowboys]] [[1960 Dallas Cowboys season|1960 inaugural season]], while being used both as a runner and pass receiver.

The next year, he was switched to [[linebacker]] and started 9 games at [[outside linebacker]] until being passed on the depth chart by [[Mike Dowdle]]. He was released on August 27, [[1962 NFL season|1962]].<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19620828&id=0R4qAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JCcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3536,4187621&hl=es | title=Tarkenton Returns to Viking Camp | accessdate=February 3, 2018}}</ref>

===Houston Oilers===
In [[1962 AFL season|1962]], he signed with the [[Houston Oilers]] of the [[American Football League]] as a [[free agent]], where he was a backup at [[middle linebacker]] for two seasons.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19621219&id=aXtaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=80oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3670,2206745&hl=es | title=Top Football Booked For Houston | accessdate=February 3, 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{49ers1957DraftPicks}}
{{1960 Dallas Cowboys}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Babb, Gene}}
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:2018 deaths]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Odessa, Texas]]
[[Category:American football fullbacks]]
[[Category:American football linebackers]]
[[Category:Austin Kangaroos football players]]
[[Category:San Francisco 49ers players]]
[[Category:Dallas Cowboys players]]
[[Category:Houston Oilers players]]
[[Category:American Football League players]]