Robert “Bob” Gardill Sr. played an important role in organizing and directing some of the biggest sports events in the region for nearly 30 years in a number of roles and positions.
Gardill was an instrumental figure in the nationally acclaimed Cambria County War Memorial Invitational Basketball Tournament that annually brought some of the nation’s top high school hoops teams to the arena.
He helped what now is known as the 1st Summit Bank Ken Lantzy All-Star Classic football game evolve when he became director in the early 1980s. The June event annually brings thousands of fans to the city while awarding high school senior student-athletes scholarships.
Gardill also was part of a group that brought the prestigious Big 33 all-star football game to Johnstown’s Point Stadium for a three-year run in the 1980s.
He served as president of the Cambria County War Memorial Inc. board of directors and served more than 20 years on the board that operated the arena.
A standout multi-sport athlete in his own right, Gardill played college football and baseball. He was part of the 1959 Hahn Packing team that placed third in the AAABA Tournament and also made his mark on the local golf scene.
Read The Tribune-Democrat story on Gardill’s induction here:
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