AN NMU PACKER WEEKEND SALUTE TO GILDO CANALE


We lost one of the all-time great Wildcats this year as Gildo Canale passed away at the age of 77.

Highlights of his storied NMU career include:

• Graduated from from Northern Michigan College in 1956.
• Joined NMC in 1959 as an instructor and athletic trainer and retired from NMU in 1993.
• Athletic Director from 1971-85.
• During that period the football team won the NCAA-II national championship and reached the playoffs five additional seasons.
• Ice hockey, which he was instrumental in establishing as a NCAA-I sport at the university, made two trips to the frozen four, later winning the national championship in
• Additionally, teams or individuals in men's basketball, diving, skiing, wrestling, and women's field hockey, gymnastics and skiing were all tournament competitive nationally.
• Member of the NMU and U.P. Sports Halls-of-Fame. Was also a co-founder of both organizations.
• Founder and Charter Member of the Golden Wildcat Club.
• Gildo Canale Award given annually to NMU's Outstanding Senior Scholar Athlete.

Gildo's finest attribute was his sense of humor. As my father liked to say, he was a character with character.

Some men pass through institutions. Other men shape institutions. Gildo was clearly the latter. He will be missed. Let's have at least one drink in his honor this weekend.