Weirton legend Bob Gain passes away

Bob Gain, whose legendary football battle with Fairmont West’s Bill Leskovar when Weirton High came to East-West Stadium is among my many cherished childhood memories, passed away Monday, November 14. He was 87.

Gain was on defense and Leskovar was in the Polar Bears’ offensive backfield. It made for some thundering collisions.

Fittingly, I guess, Weirton and West will play again Saturday in the state football playoffs.

Both later played for the University of Kentucky and Leskovar was booed in old Mountaineer Field with the Wildcats played WVU there.

Bob was born in Akron, Ohio but moved to Weirton when he was 11. He played for the University of Kentucky under legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant and, for 12 seasons, with the Cleveland Browns when it won three championships under the legendary coach Paul Brown. Bob was in five Pro Bowls.

Bob is in the Cleveland Browns Legends,  the College Football Hall of Fame, the Summit County (Ohio) Sports Hall of Fame, the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame and the University of Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame.

Ainsworth Sports listed Bob as the 21^st best football player to ever play for a West Virginia high school.

Ansted’s Tom Pridemore is #1, DuPont’s Randy Moss #5, Farmington’s Frank Gatski and Sam Huff #7 and #8 and Shinnston’s Joe Stydahar #16.

Personally, I think Huff and Stydahar should be at the top with Moss and Gatski close behind.

Bob lived in Timberlake Village, which is in Lake County, Ohio east of Cleveland, with Kitty Gain, his wife of 64 years. He’s survived by daughters, Jerry Lynn, Janis and Judy, 14 great- grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 2-6 p.m. Friday and followed by a funeral service at Monreal Funeral Home in Eastlake, Ohio.