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The Central High School Foundation and Central alumni plan to honor Pro Football Hall of Famer and Omaha Central grad Gale Sayers later this month.

A statue in Sayers’ likeness will be unveiled at Central’s Seemann Stadium on Aug. 26. The 6 p.m. ceremony will be held before Central’s home football game.

Sayers, who graduated from Central in 1961, is considered one of the greatest running backs in the history of the National Football League. The former Chicago Bears star was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame at age 34, making him the youngest to have that honor.

A 1970 made-for-TV movie, “Brian’s Song,” documented Sayers’ friendship with teammate Brian Piccolo, who was dying of cancer.

During his time at Central, Sayers was the city’s top football player in his junior year. His senior year, he excelled at tailback and linebacker, leading the team to an undefeated season. He played college football at the University of Kansas.

Sayers remained a supporter of Central High School and the foundation for years.

Later in life, Sayers was diagnosed with dementia. After his death in September 2020, the Central High School Foundation’s board of directors and alumni started a $250,000 fundraising campaign in his honor.

Littleton Alston was selected to design and construct the bronze memorial statue that will sit in front of the Victory Eagle outside Central’s stadium.

Omaha Central football star Gale Sayers in November 1960. During the 1960 season, Sayers gained 1,500 yards and averaged 166.7 yards per game.

Gale Sayers, right, and Vernon Breakfield were both football-track standouts at Central. In addition to the regular "O" letter, Sayers' sweater includes 17 chenille stars, a miniature football and a track emblem. The two larger stars are for his All-America and All-Midwest football selections.

Gale Sayers competing for Omaha Central High School on March 24, 1961. He shattered the hurdle and broad jump marks and helped to set a relay record in the Greater Omaha High School track meet. At the 1961 state meet, Gale set a record jumping 24 feet, 10.5 inches.

A football and track star at Omaha Central, Gale Sayers was honored by Omaha Post No. 1 of the American Legion as the city's outstanding prep athlete on May 23, 1961. From left are Yale Trustin, Bob Bergshire and Sayers. 

Omaha Central's Gale Sayers at a track meet in Omaha in 1961.

Ellen Goldstein, 18, and Gale Sayers, 18, were named Queen and King of Sports at Central High School's annual O Club at Peony Park on June 2, 1961.

This undated photo of Gale Sayers ran Aug. 13, 1961, for the upcoming Shrine Classic football game.

Gale Sayers returned to Nebraska to accept the trophy for the 1961 Shrine Bowl at Memorial Stadium on Aug. 18, 1962.

A dejected Gale Sayers (48) paces the sidelines after Nebraska beat Kansas 40-16 on Nov. 10, 1962, in Lawrence, Kansas. Sayers played football for Kansas in college.

Gale Sayers and his wife, Linda Lou, pose with the ring Sayers was given as part of The World-Herald All-Big Eight Team on Dec. 24, 1962.

Roger Sayers, left, shakes hands with brother Gale Sayers after Roger lost in the 100-yard dash on April 20, 1963, in Lawrence, Kansas. Roger attended Omaha University, and Gale attended the University of Kansas.

Kansas' Armand Baughman (30) threw a block so that Gale Sayers (48) could pick up some yardage against Nebraska on Nov. 9, 1963, at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. Nebraska won.

Gale Sayers and Pat Fischer meet and talk football while home for the holidays in December 1963.

Kansas halfback Gale Sayers looks at the football after he hauled in a pass behind the Nebraska secondary. However, his high knee action popped the ball from his grasp as he pulled it down, and the pass went incomplete, enabling the Huskers to win 14-7 on Nov. 7, 1964, in Lawrence, Kansas. Husker Ted Vactor (No. 46) is in pursuit.

An all-Nebraska coin flip ... Kansas co-captains Gale Sayers (Omaha), Ron Marsh (Omaha), Sid Micek (Scottsbluff), from left, and Huskers Lyle Sittler (Cree) and Bob Hohn (Beatrice). Nebraska beat Kansas 14-7 on Nov. 7, 1964, in Lawrence, Kansas.

Kansas halfback Gale Sayers, left, chats with quarterback Bob Skahan at the Nebraska-Kansas game on Nov. 7, 1964, in Lawrence, Kansas. The Huskers won 14-7.

Gale Sayers makes a 17-yard run to the Kansas 37 at the Nebraska-Kansas game on Nov. 7, 1964, in Lawrence, Kansas.

Gale Sayers, right, with Bob Gibson at the Near North YMCA in 1965.

Roger Sayers, left, and Gale Sayers pose for a photo in 1965 when they were honored along with with other members of a 1955 Midget Football League championship team from Omaha. Standing in the center is Fred Abboud, who coached Roger and Gale's 1955 team, which was sponsored by Robert's Dairy.

From left, Gale Sayers, Pat Fischer and Jimmy Brown at a West Omaha Rotary Club luncheon at the Omaha Blackstone Hotel on April 16, 1965.

Undated photo of Gale Sayers playing for the University of Kansas.

Gale Sayers with his parents, Bernice and Roger Sayers, in 1965. "All of us coming up behind Gale Sayers wanted to be Gale Sayers," says former Husker running back Mike Green.

Gale Sayers photographed for an interview in the Sept. 4, 1966, Magazine of the Midlands.

1966 family portrait of the Sayers family. From left: Linda Lou, Gayle Lynn and Gale. 

Gale Sayers signing autographs at the Crossroads Mall in Omaha on April 22, 1967. 

From left to right, Gale Sayers, Bob Boozer, and Oscar Robertson were in Omaha in 1968 for the kickoff of the George Bryant Basketball Center's second year.

The Sayers family: Linda, Gayle and Gale. This photo ran with the Feb. 16, 1969, announcement of them expecting another baby.

Gale Sayers, left, poses with Vernon Breakfield, an old Central teammate, for a photo about Sayers' knee on April 16, 1969.

Gale Sayers on May 6, 1970, while in Omaha to speak at the Downtown YMCA.

Gale Sayers was the speaker at Anthony's Restaurant honoring the Roberts Dairy midget football team coached by Fred Abboud on Nov. 27, 1970. Abboud coached both Gale and his brother Roger on the Roberts midget team in the '50s. From left: Coach Abboud, sons Gregg and Chris and Sayers.

Gale Sayers and wife Linda relax in their Lawrence, Kansas, apartment with the household pet, Tiny.

Gale Sayers, right, poses with Paul Bryant, winner of the Ricky Smith Memorial Trophy. Sayers was the feature attraction at a dinner on Nov. 15, 1971, for Schwesers midget football team at Northern Natural Gas Co., honoring kids from the Near North Side where Sayers grew up.

Gale Sayers hands off the ball to Mike Baxter, 13, during a free football clinic at Adams Park in Omaha. This photo ran July 1, 1972. 

Henry Jordan, left, and Gale Sayers in Omaha for the Sportscasters Association Banquet at Peony Park on Jan. 17, 1973. Sayers received the Sportsman of the Year award. 

Gale Sayers with his new boss, Kansas University Athletic Director Clyde Walker. This photo ran in the Magazine of the Midlands section on Aug. 26, 1973.

Gale Sayers at Kansas University. This photo ran in the Magazine of the Midlands section on Aug. 26, 1973. 

Gale Sayers kicks at the air on the Kansas sideline as Rich Sanger kicks the winning field goal for the Huskers at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Oct. 20, 1973.

Gale Sayers addresses an audience at Omaha Central on April 28, 2006, after a school tour and presentations. He is in Omaha for a showing of the film "Brian's Song."

From left: Johnny Rodgers, Marlin Briscoe, Bob Boozer and Gale Sayers at the first annual Wesley House Golf outing at Deer Creek Golf Course on June 19, 2006.

Gale and Roger Sayers are photographed in studio for Omaha Central High School alumni on May 29, 2015.

Hall of Fame Chicago Bears legend Gale Sayers, left, is applauded by Richard Dent as he took the stage during the Chicago Bears convention at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center on June 7, 2019, in Rosemont, Illinois.

402-444-3100, twitter.com/kels2

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Kelsey covers health and fitness for The World-Herald. Follow her on Twitter @kels2. Phone: 402-444-3100.

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