Gibbon grid giant leaves corn pack to play ball
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GIBBON -- 375 pound Gibbon High School senior Glen Black stepped out of his corn picker for Big Stone Canning of Arlington last week in favor of the Wildcat football team.
Black didn't play in Gibbon's 8-0 loss to Morgan last Friday night but if head coach Stan Eggen or his managers can find his shoulder pads from last year, Black should be playing this Friday.
His 7 7-8 size helmet and extra large shoulder pads had to be special ordered and cost more than the regular outfit. Black also played football last year but didn't letter.
He didn't report for pre-season drills but decided to come out when school started, "Because this is my senior year and I like to knock heads," Black said during practice last Thursday.
Gibbon may be able to brag about having the largest footballer in the state of Minnesota. There are no reports of any prep gridiron player weighing more than Glen Black.
BLACK CAME out for football his sophomore year and worked out without a helmet and pads until the final three games when they arrived, allowing him to play at defensive tackle.
Black has also been wrestling heavyweight since his freshman year for the Wildcats. Last winter, he was District 14 runner-up and advanced to the regional tourney. He lost to Class A state heavyweight champion Stan Werner of Norwood-Young America in the first round of regional action.
At 6'2.5" tall, Black's favorite pastime during football practice is hitting the one man sled. "Right now though I just wish they'd find my shoulder pads," Black clamored.
The 18-year-old son of the Clifford Blacks of Gibbon started out the summer swatting peas for Big Stone Canning and then moved on to corn picking in late July.
"I pick corn on the weekends now. Dad picks for me during the week," Black said.
His favorite participation sport is wrestling but he loves to watch football.
"I've never sacked a quarterback but I've gotten close to a few," Black confided.
He weighed about 340 as a freshman, 350 as a sophomore and 365 as a junior.
"I've lost as much as 10 pounds during a rough football practice," admitted Black.
"I USUALLY meet running backs at the line," growled Black. If opposing coaches know what is good for them they'll double team the 375 pounder or run away from him.
Black says they usually do. He has two brothers, Bruce 8, and Gary, 14, a freshman football candidate for the Wildcats. Gary is a muscular 167 pounder who lined up against Glen in practice Thursday.
With a wide grin on his face, Glen laid a bruising shoulder block into brother Gary, sending him reeling backwards five feet in midair. But there were no hard feelings between the two gridders.
Glen raises about 100 hogs on his father's farm and plans to farm after graduation next May.
New Ulm Daily Journal
Sept. 8, 1976