Gene Upshaw, Head of Football Players' Union, Dies

clipped from www.bloomberg.com Aug. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Gene Upshaw, a one-time Oakland Raiders lineman who earned a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his playing career and in the sport's history as head of the players' union, died today. He was 63. Jeffrey Kessler, a lawyer who has represented the organization, said in an interview that Upshaw was ``one of the greatest leaders of athletes in the history of sports, a great human being and someone who will be sorely missed.'' clipped from www.washingtonpost.com Upshaw, seven times selected as a Pro Bowl guard during his playing career with the Raiders, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987 and had served as executive director of the players' union since 1983. Upshaw, born in Robstown, Texas, played collegiately at Texas A&M. He was a first-round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders in 1967 and became the starting left guard as a rookie. He played on two Super Bowl title teams with the Raiders.