Lamar University Athletics

The lasting contributions Bobby Gunn made to his profession and to Lamar University during his 10-year stint as athletic trainer from 1962 to 1971 are still savored by the university, the hundreds of Lamar student-athletes he tended to and those many other athletes across the nation who were affected by his concerned and innovative pursuits.

Gunn established the athletic training specialization program at Lamar, one of only four in the nation at the time. That program continues to flourish and provides qualified male and female athletic trainers for the profession. His leadership role and subsequent testimony before the Texas Legislature led to Texas becoming the first state to require a license to practice the art of athletic training.

Gunn was chairman and chief officer for two terms (1966-68) before becoming the first president of the National Trainer Association for two more terms from 1970 to 1974. He was a trainer for United States athletic teams at the 1969 Pan American Games, and later served as a trainer for the Washington Redskins and Houston Oilers of the National Football League in the 1970s.