Ted Gerela

Theodore Gerela was a kicker in the Canadian Football League.

Life

Gerela, a graduate of Washington State University, joined the British Columbia Lions in 1967 and played with them for 7 seasons. Though he was a versatile player, he was unique in that he was primarily a kicking specialist. Previously, most kickers played another primary position. While not accurate by later standards, he had a strong leg and regularly made field goals of 50-plus yards. He won the Dr. [Beattie Martin Trophy] as the best rookie in the Western Conference in 1967.
Most notably, in 1968, he hit 30 field goals, which was a record for any professional league. He also won the conference scoring title, ushering in the era of the kicking specialist. All-Star selections were not made for kickers during his career. As of 2011, his 570 points were still the 3rd highest in the Lions' history.
Gerela came from a particularly gifted family. His brothers were also professional kickers; Roy Gerela with the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers and Metro Gerela briefly with the Montreal Alouettes In 1993, his son, Ted Gerela, was drafted in the 7th round of the 1993 [CFL draft] by the BC Lions as a linebacker from Rocky Mountain College.
Gerala died on July 16, 2020, from cancer.