The Central High School Foundation and Central alumni plan to honor Pro Football Hall of Famer and Omaha Central graduate Gale Sayers later this month.
A statue of Sayers will be unveiled at Central’s Seemann Stadium on August 26. The 6 p.m. ceremony will take place before Central’s home football game.
Sayers, who graduated from Central in 1961, is considered one of the greatest running backs in National Football League history. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame at age 34, making him the youngest to have the honor.
A 1970 made-for-TV movie, “Brian’s Song,” documented Sayers’ friendship with bandmate Brian Piccolo, who was dying of cancer.
While at Central, Sayers was the best football player in town in his freshman year. In his senior year, he excelled at running back and linebacker, leading the team to an undefeated season.
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Sayers remained a supporter of Central High School and the foundation for years.
Later in life, Sayers was diagnosed with dementia. Following his death in September 2020, the board and alumni of the Central High School Foundation launched a $250,000 fundraising campaign in his honor.
Littleton Alston has been selected to design and build the bronze memorial statue which will be placed in front of the Victory Eagle outside Central Stadium.
Photos: Gale Sayers through the years
Omaha Central football star Gale Sayers in November 1960. During the 1960 season, Sayers gained 1,500 yards and averaged 166.7 yards per game.
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Gale Sayers, right, and Vernon Breakfield were both stars of the football track at Central. Along with the usual letter “O”, Sayers’ sweater features 17 chenille stars, a miniature soccer ball and a track emblem. The two biggest stars are for his All-America and All-Midwest football selections.
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Gale Sayers competing for Omaha Central High School on March 24, 1961. He broke hurdle and long jump marks and helped set a relay record at Greater Omaha High School track meet . At the 1961 state meet, Gale set a jump record of 24 feet 10.5 inches.
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A football and track star in Omaha Central, Gale Sayers was honored by the Omaha Post No. 1 in the American Legion as the city’s outstanding prep athlete on May 23, 1961. Left to right are Yale Trustin , Bob Bergshire and Sayers.
ED RATH, WORLD HERALD
Gale Sayers of Omaha Central at a track meet in Omaha in 1961.
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Ellen Goldstein, 18, and Gale Sayers, 18, were named Queen and King of Sports at Central High School’s annual O Club at Peony Park on June 2, 1961.
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This undated handout photo of Gale Sayers was released August 13, 1961 for the upcoming Shrine Classic football game.
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Gale Sayers returned to Nebraska to accept the 1961 Shrine Bowl trophy at Memorial Stadium on August 18, 1962.
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A dejected Gale Sayers (48) walks the sideline after Nebraska beat Kansas 40-16 on November 10, 1962 in Lawrence, Kansas. Sayers played football for Kansas in college.
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Gale Sayers and his wife, Linda Lou, pose with the ring Sayers received as part of the World-Herald All-Big Eight Team on December 24, 1962.
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Roger Sayers, left, shakes hands with his brother Gale Sayers after Roger lost at 100 yards on April 20, 1963 in Lawrence, Kansas. Roger attended the University of Omaha and Gale attended the University of Kansas.
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Armand Baughman (30) of Kansas throws a block for Gale Sayers (48) to pick up yardage against Nebraska on November 9, 1963 at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. Nebraska won.
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Gale Sayers and Pat Fischer meet and talk football at home for the holidays in December 1963.
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Kansas halfback Gale Sayers watches the football after carrying a pass behind the Nebraska secondary. However, his high knee action blew the ball off his grip as he shot it down, and the pass went incomplete, allowing the Huskers to win 14-7 on November 7, 1964 in Lawrence, Kansas. Husker Ted Vactor (#46) is in pursuit.
TOM ALLAN, THE HERALD OF THE WORLD
An all-Nebraska draw…Kansas co-captains Gale Sayers (Omaha), Ron Marsh (Omaha), Sid Micek (Scottsbluff), from left, and Huskers Lyle Sittler (Cree) and Bob Hohn ( Beatrice). Nebraska defeated Kansas 14-7 on November 7, 1964 in Lawrence, Kansas.
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Kansas halfback Gale Sayers, left, chats with quarterback Bob Skahan during the Nebraska-Kansas game November 7, 1964 in Lawrence, Kansas. The Huskers won 14-7.
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Gale Sayers runs for 17 yards to Kansas 37 in the Nebraska-Kansas game on November 7, 1964 in Lawrence, Kansas.
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Gale Sayers, right, with Bob Gibson at the Near North YMCA in 1965.
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Roger Sayers, left, and Gale Sayers pose for a photo in 1965 when they were honored with other members of a 1955 Midget Football League championship team from Omaha. Standing in the center is Fred Abboud, who coached Roger and Gale’s team in 1955, which was sponsored by Robert’s Dairy.
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Left to right, Gale Sayers, Pat Fischer and Jimmy Brown at a West Omaha Rotary Club luncheon at the Omaha Blackstone Hotel on April 16, 1965.
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Undated photo of Gale Sayers playing for the University of Kansas.
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Gale Sayers with his parents, Bernice and Roger Sayers, in 1965. “All of us behind Gale Sayers wanted to be Gale Sayers,” said former Husker running back Mike Green.
DON LEE, THE HERALD OF THE WORLD
Gale Sayers pictured for an interview in the September 4, 1966, Magazine of the Midlands.
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1966 family portrait of the Sayers family. From left to right: Linda Lou, Gayle Lynn and Gale.
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Gale Sayers signing autographs at Crossroads Mall in Omaha on April 22, 1967.
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From left, Gale Sayers, Bob Boozer and Oscar Robertson were in Omaha in 1968 to kick off the George Bryant Basketball Center’s second year.
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The Sayers family: Linda, Gayle and Gale. This photo was posted on February 16, 1969, announcing that they were expecting another baby.
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Gale Sayers, left, poses with Vernon Breakfield, a former Central teammate, for a photo of Sayers’ knee on April 16, 1969.
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Gale Sayers on April 16, 1969.
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Gale Sayers on May 6, 1970, while in Omaha to speak at the Downtown YMCA.
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Gale Sayers on May 6, 1970.
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Gale Sayers was the speaker at Anthony’s Restaurant in honor of the Roberts Dairy midget football team coached by Fred Abboud on November 27, 1970. Abboud coached Gale and his brother Roger on the Roberts midget team in the 1950s. left to right: Coach Abboud, sons Gregg and Chris and Sayers.
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Gale Sayers and his wife Linda relax in their Lawrence, Kansas apartment with pet Tiny.
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Gale Sayers, right, poses with Ricky Smith Memorial Trophy winner Paul Bryant. Sayers was the main attraction at a November 15, 1971, dinner for the Schwesers midget football team at Northern Natural Gas Co., honoring the children of the Near North Side where Sayers grew up.
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Gale Sayers hands the ball to 13-year-old Mike Baxter during a free football clinic at Adams Park in Omaha. This photo was published on July 1, 1972.
TOM PLAMBECK, THE WORLD HERALD
Henry Jordan, left, and Gale Sayers in Omaha for the Sportscasters Association Banquet at Peony Park on January 17, 1973. Sayers received the Sportscasters of the Year award.
ROBERT PASKACH, THE HERALD OF THE WORLD
Gale Sayers on January 17, 1973.
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Gale Sayers with his new boss, University of Kansas athletic director Clyde Walker. This photo was published in the Magazine of the Midlands section on August 26, 1973.
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Gale Sayers at the University of Kansas. This photo was published in the Magazine of the Midlands section on August 26, 1973.
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Gale Sayers kicks the air off the Kansas sideline as Rich Sanger throws the game-winning basket for the Huskers at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on October 20, 1973.
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Gale Sayers on November 2, 1987.
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Gale Sayers addresses an audience in Omaha Central April 28, 2006, after a school visit and introductions. He’s in Omaha for a screening of Brian’s Song.
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Left to right: Johnny Rodgers, Marlin Briscoe, Bob Boozer and Gale Sayers at Wesley House Golf’s first annual outing at Deer Creek Golf Course on June 19, 2006.
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Gale and Roger Sayers are pictured in the studio for Omaha Central High School alumni on May 29, 2015.
SCOTT DRICKEY
Chicago Bears Hall of Fame legend Gale Sayers, left, is applauded by Richard Dent as he takes the stage during the Chicago Bears convention at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center on June 7, 2019 in Rosemont , Illinois.
MARK BLACK, CHICAGO SUN TIMES