Deaths on October 26

Gordy Soltau, American football player and sportscaster (b. 1925)

Gordon Leroy Soltau (January 25, 1925 – October 26, 2014) was an American football player who played wide receiver for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the San Francisco 49ers.After he graduated from high school in Duluth, Minnesota as a multi-sport athlete, he joined the Navy, became a frogman (precursor to the Navy seals) and served during the Second World War. After the war, he attended the University of Minnesota, where he played football and became one of the school's legendary players. He joined the 49ers in their first year in the NFL playing both wide receiver and place kicker. In 1952 he led the NFL in scoring. He was All Pro in 1952, 1953 and 1954. Soltau was instrumental in the formation of the NFL players association. He is now enshrined in the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame.

On October 26, 2014, Soltau died at the age of 89.