Hall of Fame
Robert N. Gardner was widely recognized as one of the state conference's finest running backs throughout his football career at Macalester.
A great all-around athlete, Gardner was equally dangerous from his fullback position as both a runner and a passer. He was named to the honorable mention All-State squad in 1937, and in 1938 he finished fourth in the league in scoring, when he accounted for nearly 60 percent of the Scots' points.
A football and basketball standout during his prep career at St. Paul Washington High School, Gardner said that "the highlight of any year was when we were able to defeat Hamline." After dropping a 26-7 decision to the Pipers as a freshman in 1935, Gardner and the Scots sandwiched victories in 1936 (20-13) and 1938 (12-6), around a tie in 1937 (13-13) with their Snelling Avenue rivals.
Gardner was also a four-year letter winner as a shot putter for the Scots track team in the spring. Making the transition from the playing field to the sidelines, he spent three years as the Scots freshman football coach from 1939 to 1941. He lists his entire freshman year at Macalester as his most memorable college experience. "As the only minority student at the time," he said, "I was welcomed and made to feel a part of the Macalester family by all personnel and the student body."
After earning his B.A. degree in biology from Macalester, and B.S. and master's of education degrees from the University of Minnesota, Gardner devoted 39 years (1947-86) of service to Lincoln University (Pa.) before retiring.
Known to some as "Prof," to others as the "Godfather," or to many as simply "Bob," Gardner has undoubtedly left his mark on Lincoln University. He was the school's coach in wrestling (1947-69), football (1952-60), boxing (1947-52), soccer (1947), and cricket (1947). He holds the distinction of coaching Lincoln's only NCAA individual national wrestling champion. In addition, he served as the chairman of the school's Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Athletics department from 1977 to 1986.
Gardner has served as a director of several Peace Corps training programs in Africa and in the Caribbean. He still does volunteer work for the Red Cross.
Gardner and his wife, Pauline, have a son, Philip, and a daughter, Eileen. The couple resides in Lincoln University, Pa.
