Jake Gibbs Jerry Dean " Jake " Gibbs ( born November 7 , 1938 ) is a former Major League Baseball player who played for the New York Yankees as a platoon catcher from 1962 to 1971 . His strong hit record in 1968 earned him the nickname " Dead - Eye " Gibbs . Prior to beginning his professional baseball career , Gibbs had successful careers in college baseball and college football at the University of Mississippi ( Ole Miss ) for the Ole Miss Rebels . He returned to Ole Miss to coach the baseball and football teams . Amateur career . Gibbs attended the University of Mississippi ( Ole Miss ) . He played quarterback for the Ole Miss Rebels football team , and also played for the Ole Miss Rebels baseball team . Both teams compete in the Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) . For the baseball team , Gibbs led the Rebels to their first SEC championship in 1959 . During his junior football season , Gibbs was best remembered for punting the ball to LSU All - American Billy Cannon on a third - and - 19 with 10 minutes remaining in a Halloween Night game at Tiger Stadium and the No . 3 Rebels ahead of defending national champion and No . 1 LSU 3 - 0 . Cannon picked up the ball on one bounce along the right sideline at his own 11 - yard line and raced past the Rebel coverage unit , including Gibbs , 89 yards to the game ' s only touchdown . The play helped Cannon win the 1959 Heisman Memorial Trophy . The 7 - 3 loss cost Ole Miss a chance at the wire service national championships , since those polls were voted upon at the time prior to bowl games and did not take into account Ole Miss ' 21 - 0 humiliation of LSU in the 1960 Sugar Bowl , 62 days after the teams played in Baton Rouge . During his senior year at Mississippi , Gibbs led the Ole Miss Rebels football team to a 10 – 0 – 1 record , with the lone blemish a 6 - 6 deadlock against an inferior LSU squad ( the Tigers went 5 - 4 - 1 after winning 20 of 22 games in 1958 and 1959 ) at Oxford , Mississippi . The Rebels won the 1961 Sugar Bowl , defeating the Rice Owls football team 14 - 6 , as Gibbs scored both touchdowns . The Rebels were recognized as national champions by the Football Writers Association of America . Gibbs was named to the 1960 College Football All - America Team . That year , he was also named SEC Player of the Year . Professional career . Gibbs decided instead to go professional in baseball despite being drafted by the Houston Oilers of the American Football League and Cleveland Browns National Football League in 1961 . Gibbs signed with the New York Yankees in 1961 , receiving a $ 100 , 000 signing bonus under the Bonus Rule . Gibbs signed as a third baseman and shortstop . He began his professional career with the Richmond Virginians of the International League ; he recorded five hits in a double header in his professional debut and started his career with an eight game hitting streak . The Yankees optioned him to Richmond in 1962 , but his season was limited by injuries . The Yankees asked Gibbs to try to play as a catcher in 1963 . Gibbs spent the 1963 season with the Virginians , before the Yankees promoted him again in September . Gibbs spent his four first professional seasons in minor league baseball , where his highest season batting average was . 284 and he managed to hit 28 home run s across the four seasons . With Yogi Berra ' s retirement before the 1964 season , Gibbs competed for a spot on the Yankees ' roster . He was unable to appear in the 1964 World Series due to broken fingers . He also missed the end of the 1966 season after suffering a broken left hand . After backing up Elston Howard for a number of years , the Yankees traded Howard during the 1967 season , at which point Gibbs became the team ' s starting catcher . He eventually lost the first - string job to Thurman Munson , but continued as a back - up with the team . In June 1971 , he announced his retirement from baseball , effective at the end of the season . He played his final game on September 29 , 1971 . Coaching career . Gibbs returned to Ole Miss as an assistant football coach in 1965 , working during the Yankees ' offseason . In this role , Gibbs mentored Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Archie Manning . After the 1971 season , Gibbs returned to Ole Miss full - time as a baseball coach and football recruiter . In 1972 , Gibbs coached Ole Miss to the SEC championship . The team set an SEC record for consecutive conference wins , and went to Omaha for the 1972 College World Series ( CWS ) . He was named coach of the year in 1972 . The Rebels have yet to return to the CWS despite four trips to the Super Regional round in 11 seasons under current coach Mike Bianco . He was named coach of the year in 1977 . Gibbs retired in 1990 with 485 wins , more than any coach in Ole Miss history , that is before March 9 , 2013 , when Mike Bianco breaks the record in an 8 - 3 win against Lipscomb State University . Gibbs returned to the Yankees ' organization in 1993 as the team ' s bullpen catcher . In 1994 and 1995 , Gibbs managed the Tampa Yankees , the Yankees ' Class A - Advanced affiliate in the Florida State League . Honors . In 1995 , Gibbs was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame . He has appeared at Yankees ' Old - Timers ' Day .