president in 1979 after his father, Marty, died. We also make a piece of training equipment for every position on the football field. Gilman Gear has expanded into other sports... been an official supplier of equipment for the National Football League for the last 12 seasons. The company was founded in 1929 by Marty Gilman, A University of Connecticut... football player who made tackling dummies and blocking shields and sleds for himself using materials from the familys textile mill. With 65 employees, Gilman Gear also manufactures...