RIP Cookie

[tennesseeboy]

Maybe the best pass blocking running back to ever play the game. Couple that with his records as a running back, his ability to catch passes, and his punting and kicking ability, and I would definitely say he was one of the four or five best football players in the history of the Buffalo Bills. I watched him and I watched Jim Brown (before the Bills Cleveland was the closest thing to a "Buffalo" team, and I gotta say Cookie is the ONLY runninng back who belongs in the same sentence with Jim Brown. If there is a Buffalo Bill who belongs in the hall of fame but isn't...its Cookie Gilchrist.

[Stampede]

just heard about Cookie's passing and had to make a comment. i have never lived in Buffalo and have only been there twice in my life for a game. i was born a Bills fan (because of my uncle) in 1964 and everything i knew about the Bills was taught to me by my uncle who passed in 1982 at the age 0f 38. i don't know how, but my uncle met Cookie on a couple of occasions and thought he was the best running back ever; he even insisted that the Bills could have beat the Packers in the first Super Bowl especially if Cookie was in the backfield.

 

i wrote to him once while he was in the ALF but didn't receive a reply; not that i was expecting one. i just wanted to share with him how he was not forgotten and that many people still talk about him as one of the greatest running backs of all time for the Bills and the NFL. Cookies passing is that much closer to me because of my uncle.

[machinegun12]

Sad news.

 

One of the toughest RBs to ever lace up the cleats, he fought off cancer for several years.

 

Wish RW would get over past differences & put Cookie (and Lou Saban) up on The Wall.

 

 

RIP

I live in Pittsburgh now and there was a nice article in the Tribune Review today about Cookie (who is from the 'Burgh and died here) and in the article it says that Ralph Wilson visited Cookie last week (don't know how accurate) and that they buried the hatchet. I'm gonna look for a link right now, see if the article is posted on the net.

 

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_717523.html

At the bottom of the article it mentions the burying of the hatchet. Maybe RW didn't visit but it said they spoke.

Edited January 11, 2011 by machinegun12

[Buffalo Barbarian]

[Chandler#81]

I live in Pittsburgh now and there was a nice article in the Tribune Review today about Cookie (who is from the 'Burgh and died here) and in the article it says that Ralph Wilson visited Cookie last week (don't know how accurate) and that they buried the hatchet. I'm gonna look for a link right now, see if the article is posted on the net.

 

http://www.pittsburg...s/s_717523.html

At the bottom of the article it mentions the burying of the hatchet. Maybe RW didn't visit but it said they spoke.

 

They did. Very thoughful of the Boss!

 

 

http://link.buffalobills.com/r/08CWG4C/PG0X/GDYEG/UHGM/Y8W0/2V/h

[Rico]

RIP

[LancasterSteve]

Cookie may you be flying with the angels

 

Here is some pics from the '64 team. For some reason the pics from the '65 team will not load. Those were the teams of my childhood and sweet years they were.

 

Here: http://www.angelfire.com/nv/Billshistory/PHOTOS64.html

Edited January 12, 2011 by LancasterSteve

[WarMemorial]

Cookie will be missed.

I remember our family moving to New Orleans and during the All Star game in '65, many black players were not allowed access to hotels and restaurants in town. Cookie was in the vanguard to boycott the game. It was eventually moved to somewhere in Texes (I think),

That behavior was as much a shock to us, having just relocated, as it was for the NFL.

[billsfan72]

RIP

[Bufcomments]

Maybe the best pass blocking running back to ever play the game. Couple that with his records as a running back, his ability to catch passes, and his punting and kicking ability, and I would definitely say he was one of the four or five best football players in the history of the Buffalo Bills. I watched him and I watched Jim Brown (before the Bills Cleveland was the closest thing to a "Buffalo" team, and I gotta say Cookie is the ONLY runninng back who belongs in the same sentence with Jim Brown. If there is a Buffalo Bill who belongs in the hall of fame but isn't...its Cookie Gilchrist.

it is posts like these that keep me coming back to this forum...

 

Man I wish I could have seen Cookie play live.

[LancasterSteve]

 

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_717523.html

At the bottom of the article it mentions the burying of the hatchet. Maybe RW didn't visit but it said they spoke.

 

From the article: "Former Bills cornerback Booker Edgerson claimed Gilchrist was "just as good or maybe even better" than Hall of Famer Jim Brown"

 

I saw both play, quite a bit in fact. Cookie Gilchrist at War Memorial Stadium and when the Bills played away, the Bills and Browns on TV. In fact for those not around yet the Browns were the team seen on TV week after week in the WNY TV viewing area for years starting about 1955 or 56. Both Gilchirst and Brown were punishing runners down after down. In the December 8th, 1963 game against the NY Jets at War Memorial Stadium (which the Bills won 45-14) Cookie ran for a punishing 243 yards and scored 5 touchdowns. To this day still one of the greatest rushing feats by any Bills player in the 47 or 48 years I have been fortunate to see the Bills play.

 

Even though the historic Civil Right legistration had been passed a year earlier; bigotry, discrimination and worse were still prevelent throughout our land. But worse, much worse in the South were the KKK controled many local and state governments. New Orleans and in the larger sense, the state of Louisiana were among the most corrupt in our nation. I remember seeing signs in many sourthern states like "whites only" in many places; water fountains, bathrooms and picnic areas to name but a few. Few if any whites were ever convicted in the south of 1965 for mudering blacks. Sometimes the KKK would kill whole families by burning their houses down while they slept and if they ran out, they were shot by the KKK. It was against this backdrop that Cookie Gilchrist started a boycott against playing the 1965 AFL Allstar game in NO. The article says "a bar" but in fact any black person was not even allowed to enter the many "whites only" bars not only in New Orleans but throughout the deep south. A very dark time in our nations history for sure.

I hope it is true that Ralph Wilson saw Cookie and just wish that both he and Lou Saban were put on the Bills wall of fame before they passed on. Sad and ironic that the two men who were among the best at what they did for the Buffalo Bills (even though the two often feuded) are not in any way acknowledged for bringing the only football championships for the Bills team and Bills fans everywhere.

RIP Cookie

[Chandler#81]

Cookie will be missed.

I remember our family moving to New Orleans and during the All Star game in '65, many black players were not allowed access to hotels and restaurants in town. Cookie was in the vanguard to boycott the game. It was eventually moved to somewhere in Texes (I think),

That behavior was as much a shock to us, having just relocated, as it was for the NFL.

 

 

Nice 1st post and screen name. Welcome aboard!

[freeagentqb]

From the article: "Former Bills cornerback Booker Edgerson claimed Gilchrist was "just as good or maybe even better" than Hall of Famer Jim Brown"

 

I saw both play, quite a bit in fact. Cookie Gilchrist at War Memorial Stadium and when the Bills played away, the Bills and Browns on TV. In fact for those not around yet the Browns were the team seen on TV week after week in the WNY TV viewing area for years starting about 1955 or 56. Both Gilchirst and Brown were punishing runners down after down. In the December 8th, 1963 game against the NY Jets at War Memorial Stadium (which the Bills won 45-14) Cookie ran for a punishing 243 yards and scored 5 touchdowns. To this day still one of the greatest rushing feats by any Bills player in the 47 or 48 years I have been fortunate to see the Bills play.

 

Even though the historic Civil Right legistration had been passed a year earlier; bigotry, discrimination and worse were still prevelent throughout our land. But worse, much worse in the South were the KKK controled many local and state governments. New Orleans and in the larger sense, the state of Louisiana were among the most corrupt in our nation. I remember seeing signs in many sourthern states like "whites only" in many places; water fountains, bathrooms and picnic areas to name but a few. Few if any whites were ever convicted in the south of 1965 for mudering blacks. Sometimes the KKK would kill whole families by burning their houses down while they slept and if they ran out, they were shot by the KKK. It was against this backdrop that Cookie Gilchrist started a boycott against playing the 1965 AFL Allstar game in NO. The article says "a bar" but in fact any black person was not even allowed to enter the many "whites only" bars not only in New Orleans but throughout the deep south. A very dark time in our nations history for sure.

I hope it is true that Ralph Wilson saw Cookie and just wish that both he and Lou Saban were put on the Bills wall of fame before they passed on. Sad and ironic that the two men who were among the best at what they did for the Buffalo Bills (even though the two often feuded) are not in any way acknowledged for bringing the only football championships for the Bills team and Bills fans everywhere.

RIP Cookie

 

I remember he also had about a 50 yard run near the end of that game that was called back by penalty....

Edited January 12, 2011 by bobm

[Adam]

He needs to be on the ring of honor!

[John Gianelli]

There's some great footage at this link, and some very interesting words from Cookie. He had a cease and desist order to prevent the Bills, Broncos, the NFL, and the t.v. networks from using his image, citing intellectual property rights. link

[CowgirlsFan]

RIP Cookie! You were an outstanding runner in your era.

 

I agree too!! He represented one of the first Buffalo Bills I watched with my Dad in the 60's.

[LancasterSteve]

I remember he also had about a 50 yard run near the end of that game that was called back by penalty....

 

You are correct. This happened on the Bills second last possesion. The last Bills possesion was kneel downs and Cookie Gilchrist was not sent back out.

[tennesseeboy]

just heard about Cookie's passing and had to make a comment. i have never lived in Buffalo and have only been there twice in my life for a game. i was born a Bills fan (because of my uncle) in 1964 and everything i knew about the Bills was taught to me by my uncle who passed in 1982 at the age 0f 38. i don't know how, but my uncle met Cookie on a couple of occasions and thought he was the best running back ever; he even insisted that the Bills could have beat the Packers in the first Super Bowl especially if Cookie was in the backfield.

 

i wrote to him once while he was in the ALF but didn't receive a reply; not that i was expecting one. i just wanted to share with him how he was not forgotten and that many people still talk about him as one of the greatest running backs of all time for the Bills and the NFL. Cookies passing is that much closer to me because of my uncle.

I share your uncle's view on the first superbowl. I thought the tandem of Cookie and Wray Carlton were outstanding power runners and our offensive line with Hall of Famer Billy Shaw would have given Kemp the opportunity to pass, and they would have been a very effective power running duo. Our defense had a fierce line and backer corps...Day, Sestak, Dunaway and McDole and Tracy Jacobs and Stratton. Byrd and Edgerson at corner and Saimes at safety..to this day I think the best AFL team that year was the Buffalo Bills.

[Bills99999]

When my friends and I were kids, we all assumed Cookie was the dumbest player on the Bills because the spot on his football card for his college said "none"

 

I know better now. 90% of the players who DID go to college are also dumb

[Chandler#81]

I share your uncle's view on the first superbowl. I thought the tandem of Cookie and Wray Carlton were outstanding power runners and our offensive line with Hall of Famer Billy Shaw would have given Kemp the opportunity to pass, and they would have been a very effective power running duo. Our defense had a fierce line and backer corps...Day, Sestak, Dunaway and McDole and Tracy Jacobs and Stratton. Byrd and Edgerson at corner and Saimes at safety..to this day I think the best AFL team that year was the Buffalo Bills.

 

I, too, share Stampede's uncles's view, with one exception. In '64, the Browns won the NFL title. That's who we would have played, had the merger been in place a couple years ealier. Just as the Packers could hold Brown to 50 yds. rushing in a title game, likely so would our defense and I'll go to my grave believeing we would have won that matchup. In '65, we no longer had Cookie -replaced by rookie Billy Joe. While we whooped the Chargers again in the AFL title game, I don't think we'd have beaten the Pack that year, nor the next year, when we fell at home to KC in our last title game until we played @ Cinci in '88-'89.