I can’t say I really knew him, but would see him at Jim’s Coffee Shop on Ben White at I-35 often.

He was truly an imposing fellow. He seemed like such a genteel gentleman.
Depending on the source, he was either born in 1918 or 1919 and he was either 6’8″ or 6’10” tall. I know his hands were huge and he had a very long reach. I’m not sure what his boxing record was. He appeared to be a man of means and always dress immaculately.

He would drive up in his Cadillac sedan. As he would start to get out, it seemed like it took awhile for him to completely extract himself from the car. He looked 10 feet tall by the time he stood upright.

Big Gil was certainly a South Austin Legend. Actually an Austin Legend.