The Locomotive
Gene "The Locomotive" Donaldson · 1942–2002
Eugene Harold "Gene" Donaldson (1942–2002) didn't just run with the football—he punished anyone who tried to stop him. Born in Birmingham but forged in Clarksburg, Donaldson became a legendary figure at Washington Irving High School. Local spectators still swear they saw him carry as many as three or four defenders on his back straight into the end zone.
He took that locomotive energy to the Big Ten, playing for the Purdue Boilermakers from 1960 to 1963 as a highly versatile two-way player: both running back and starting linebacker. His raw power earned him an 11th-round selection by the Washington Redskins in the 1964 NFL Draft.
Donaldson ultimately took his talents on a tour of the AFL and the CFL, suiting up for the Richmond Rebels, Toronto Argonauts, and Buffalo Bills. The crown jewel of his pro career arrived in 1967, when he helped lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to a Grey Cup Championship.
Today, his legacy is permanently etched into the city's infrastructure. The Gene Donaldson Bridge stands as a quiet but powerful local tribute to the man who carried this town's spirit all the way to a professional championship.
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- Born in Birmingham but forged right here in West Virginia, Donaldson was an absolute unit on the field. Local spectators still swear they saw him carry three—sometimes four—defenders on his back straight into the end zone.
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- He was a man among boys out there. And that raw power didn't go unnoticed. He took that locomotive energy straight to the Big Ten, suiting up for the Purdue Boilermakers from 1960 to 1963. He was so versatile he played running back and starting linebacker.
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- That two-way dominance caught the eye of the pros. In the 1964 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins called his name. But the crown jewel of his pro career came up north in 1967, helping lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to a Grey Cup Championship.
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