Athletic Hall of Fame
The Gustavus Adolphus College Hall of Fame was established in 1978 at which time 19 "Charter Members" were inducted either as coaches or as athletes. As of the fall of 2022, 348 individuals (321 athletes, 16 coaches and 11 benefactors) have been elected to the Hall of Fame.
The former Hall of Fame room on the second floor of the Lund Center was originally partially endowed by the families of both Dwight Holcombe's (the only father/son combination holding membership in the Hall). The hardwood plaque upon which the individual plates are permanently displayed, now in the Hall of Champions, was donated by the family of former football coach and Hall of Fame member Jocko Nelson, who passed away in 1978.
Gerald Cady
Basketball, Football, and Track & Field
Inducted: 1979
Gerry L. Cady '49 lettered four years in football and basketball, and three years in track at Gustavus. Gerry entered Gustavus in the fall of 1942 and played football and basketball that year before entering the U.S. Army in March of 1943 to serve as a physical instructor in the Medical Corp. After he was discharged from the Army he returned to Gustavus in the fall of 1946. He played tackle on the undefeated 1946 football team and was selected unanimously by the MIAC coaches to the All Conference team in 1946, 1947 and 1948. He was captain of the 1948 football team and was also named Little All America. He was also selected for inclusion in the list of Who's Who in American Colleges.
Following graduation he was drafted by the Washington Redskins and the Los Angeles Dons, and joined the Dons of the now-defunct All-America Football Conference in 1949.
He taught and coached football, basketball and track in Menahga and Aitkin until 1952 when he was hired by the Minneapolis Public Schools. He coached football and wrestling at Vocation High School until 1972 when he became assistant principal at Jordan Jr. High School in Minneapolis. After that, he became assistant principal at South High School in Minneapolis. Gerry earned master's degrees in phy. ed. and education admin. from St. Cloud State Univ. Gerry and his wife, Katherine, had two sons and two daughters - Thomas, Chris, Elizabeth and Linda.