Fans of both the Detroit Tigers and Michigan State Spartans know the name of Kirk Gibson very well. Before committing to baseball full-time, Gibson was a star wide receiver for the Spartans during his college days. He will be recognized this year as an inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Congrats to former All-American WR Kirk Gibson, who has been named to the 2017 @NFFNetwork @cfbhall Class! pic.twitter.com/ignhtEMuUi
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) January 9, 2017
As a college player, Gibson was a monster on the field. He averaged 21 yards per reception which is good for #1 all-time at Michigan State. His receiving total of 2,347 yards and 24 touchdowns rank 4th and 3rd all-time respectively in East Lansing.
Gibson spoke to MLive.com about this most recent recognition:
“It's an incredible honor to be selected to the College Football Hall of Fame,” Gibson said in a press release from the school. “But I would be remiss if I didn't recognize all those who were there to lift me up when I was down, or those who kicked me in the ass when it was warranted. I was blessed to have dedicated and supportive family, friends, teammates and coaches. This award is in honor of all of them and significant in illustrating the power of we.”
Congratulations are pouring in from all over the internet. Here's a notable one from Gibson's son Cam who is currently part of the Detroit Tigers organization.
https://twitter.com/GibNasty_23/status/818524171361652738
The Hall of Fame class in 2017 will also include Peyton Manning, Marshall Faulk, and Steve Spurrier. The induction ceremony will take place in New York City on December 5, 2017.
Congratulations, Gibby and Go Green!
[College Football stats provided by www.sports-reference.com]
