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Burt Gustafson
Biographical details
Born(1925-11-30)November 30, 1925
Marquette, Michigan, U.S.
DiedOctober 22, 2022(2022-10-22) (aged 96)
Alma materNorthern Michigan University
University of Michigan
Playing career
Football
1946–1949Northern Michigan
Basketball
1946–1950Northern Michigan
Track and field
1946–1950Northern Michigan
Position(s)End (football)
Guard, center (basketball)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1950–1951Cedarville HS (?)
1952–1953Escanaba HS (asst.)
1954–1955Battle Creek HS (E)
1956–1961Northern Michigan (E)
1962Wyoming (E)
1963–1970Wyoming (DB)
1971–1974Green Bay Packers (LB)
1977–1978[a]Green Bay Packers (ST)
Basketball
1950–1952Cedarville HS (?)
1952–1954Escanaba HS
1954–1956Battle Creek HS
1956–1957Northern Michigan
Track and field
1950–1952Cedarville HS (?)
1952–1954Escanaba HS (?)
1954–1956Battle Creek HS (asst.)
1956–1962Northern Michigan
Baseball
1950–1951Cedarville HS (?)
Swimming
c. 1950sNorthern Michigan
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1975–1976Green Bay Packers (WCS)
1978[b]Green Bay Packers (Scout)
1979–1984Green Bay Packers (DPP)
1985–1989[c]Green Bay Packers (AA/FO)

Burton F. Gustafson (November 30, 1925 – October 22, 2022) was an American athlete and sports coach. After attending Northern Michigan University (NMU) where he was a three-sport star, he coached several high school football, basketball, and track and field teams. He then returned to NMU where he served from 1956 to 1961 as a coach in four sports. He later was an assistant coach for the Wyoming Cowboys and coach and administrator for the Green Bay Packers.

Early life and education

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Gustafson was born on November 30, 1925, in Marquette, Michigan, and grew up in Newberry, Michigan.[1] He attended Newberry High School, where he was a three-sport star, earning varsity letters in football, basketball, and track and field.[2] After graduating from Newberry, he joined the United States Navy and served in World War II as a member of the Seabee department.[2] He served three years, including two in the South Pacific.[2] After being discharged in 1946, Gustafson enrolled at Northern Michigan University (NMU).[2]

Gustafson played football, basketball, and track and field at NMU and finished his college career having earned a total of 12 letters, making him the first person in school history to accomplish that feat.[3] As a senior, he was named football most valuable player and was captain of the track team.[2] He played the end position in football, was a guard and center in basketball, and was a high jumper, hurdler, relay team member, and participant in the 440-yard dash in track and field.[4]

Coaching career

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Immediately after graduating from Northern Michigan in 1950, Gustafson began a coaching career, serving as a baseball, football, track, and basketball coach at Cedarville High School.[4][5] After two seasons there, Gustafson was hired as assistant football coach, track coach, and head basketball coach at Escanaba High School.[4][5][6] In 1954, he was hired as ends coach in football, assistant coach in track and head basketball coach at Battle Creek High School.[7] During this period, Gustafson also attended the University of Michigan, where he earned a master's degree in physical education.[2]

In 1956, Gustafson was named assistant football coach and head track and field coach at Northern Michigan University, in addition to being given the position of assistant professor in physical education.[8] He was also supposed to be junior varsity basketball coach but became varsity head coach shortly before the season started, after C. V. Money announced he was not up for the job.[5] He compiled a 9–7 record in one season as basketball coach before resigning to focus on track and field and football, being succeeded by Stan Albeck.[9] Gustafson turned the track team into one of the most prominent in the area, winning the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) District Championship three times in a row.[2] Among track athletes he coached were Curt Harper, described as "one of the nation's outstanding performers in the shot put and discus," and Al Washington, who at one point held the world record for the 60-yard dash.[2] Gustafson also created the Northern Michigan swimming team and served as the first coach.[2][3]

In 1962, Gustafson was hired as ends coach at the University of Wyoming, being described by the Casper Tribune-Herald as the football team's "grand old man" despite being only 36, as all of the other assistants were between the ages of 29 and 34.[2] His position was quickly changed to defensive backfield coach.[1] He served eight seasons in that position, and became one of the top defensive coaches in the nation, having his defense rank as high as fifth-best in the country.[4]

While at Wyoming, Gustafson was invited to three of Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers training camps.[10] He was given a position as Packers' linebackers coach in 1971,[11][12] being hired by Dan Devine, who released a statement that said: "I followed Burt's career with a great deal of interest and I'm pleased that he's joining the Packer staff. With Dave Hanner, Don Doll and Burt Gustafson, I am confident we will have the defense in good hands."[4] In his first season as a Packer coach, the team compiled a record of 4–8–2 and missed the playoffs.[13] They went 10–4 the following season and made it to the first round of the playoffs, but missed it in the next two seasons.[13]

Gustafson became a scout for West Coast colleges in 1975, but was brought back as a coach in 1977, being named coach of the special teams.[14] In the preseason of 1978, he was shifted to a front office role after just one year as special teams coach.[15] In 1979, Gustafson was named Director of Player Personnel,[16] a position he served in until 1985, when he was named a special assistant, also referred to as administrative assistant/football operations.[17][18] In this position he was responsible for "organizing the Packers' spring mini-camps, the annual summer training camp at St. Norbert College, handling all transportation, housing and workout arrangements for free agents brought to Green Bay and assisting position coaches in all free agent tryouts," according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette.[17] Gustafson retired in the preseason of 1989.[18]

Later life and death

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Gustafson was inducted into the Northern Michigan University Sports Hall of Fame in 1976, the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame in 1979, and was an inaugural inductee to the Newberry High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.[3][19][20]

With his wife, Alice, Gustafson had two sons and three daughters.[21] After retiring, Gustafson was a stamp collector, being involved in the efforts to get Vince Lombardi featured on a postage stamp, and lived with his wife at their home by the Chicagon Lake.[21][22] In the 2010s, he was interviewed several times by Green Bay Packers historian Cliff Christl. Gustafson discussed his opinions on past Packers coaches he worked for, including Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, Forrest Gregg, Dan Devine and Lindy Infante.[23] He died on October 22, 2022, at age 96.[24]

Notes

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  1. ^ Resigned from position in preseason of 1978.
  2. ^ Regular season.
  3. ^ Retired in preseason of 1989.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Burt Gustafson". Green Bay Press-Gazette. September 19, 1971. p. 126. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Burt Gustafson to Coach State University Ends". Casper Star-Tribune. April 18, 1962. p. 14. Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ a b c "Burton Gustafson (1776)[sic] – Hall of Fame". Northern Michigan Wildcats. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Former Esky Coach On Packers' Staff". The Escanaba Daily Press. February 18, 1971. p. 14. Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ a b c "Burt Gustafson Is New Cage Coach At Northern Mich". The Escanaba Daily Press. November 2, 1956. p. 13. Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ Crandall, Roy (December 23, 1954). "In This Corner". The Escanaba Daily Press. p. 16. Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ Crandall, Roy (June 27, 1955). "In This Corner". The Escanaba Daily Press. p. 12. Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  8. ^ "Burt Gustafson Named Northern Track Coach". The Escanaba Daily Press. July 12, 1956. p. 22. Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  9. ^ "Adrian Coach Named To Post at Northern". Lansing State Journal. Associated Press. June 25, 1957. p. 19. Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  10. ^ Ryman, Richard (October 25, 2022). "Former Green Bay Packers coach Burt Gustafson dead at 96". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  11. ^ Harkins, Chuck (February 18, 1971). "Packers Ink Gustafson". Casper Star-Tribune. p. 14. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  12. ^ Remmel, Lee (February 21, 1971). "Packers 'Old Hat' for Gustafson". Green Bay Press-Gazette. p. 39. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  13. ^ a b "Burt Gustafson Coaching Record". Pro Football Archives. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  14. ^ "Pack Re-Hires Burt Gustafson". The Sheboygan Press. February 25, 1977. p. 14. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  15. ^ Christl, Chris (August 23, 1978). "Packers Lose Tackles, Coach". Green Bay Press-Gazette. p. 28. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  16. ^ "Burt Gustafson". Green Bay Press-Gazette. September 2, 1979. p. 129. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  17. ^ a b "Burt Gustafson". Green Bay Press-Gazette. September 8, 1985. p. 134 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  18. ^ a b "Packer official Gustafson retires". Wausau Daily Herald. Associated Press. May 29, 1989. p. 11. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  19. ^ "Inductee Class of 1979". Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  20. ^ "Newberry to induct first school athletic hall of fame members". The Mining Journal. August 31, 2013. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  21. ^ a b "Burt Gustafson Obituary". Nash Funeral Home. October 2022. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  22. ^ "Legislator seeks Lombardi stamp". Daily Citizen. Associated Press. September 1, 1995. p. 11. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  23. ^ Christl, Cliff (July 12, 2018). "Gustafson looks back on 18-plus seasons with Packers". Packers.com. Green Bay Packers. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  24. ^ Christl, Cliff (October 24, 2022). "Former Packers assistant coach, scout Burt Gustafson dies at 96". Packers.com. Archived from the original on August 18, 2023. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
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