A vibrant mural of Albert and Elbert Kimbrough, frozen in their 1950s football glory, now graces the newly christened Kimbrough Fieldhouse at Galesburg Jr./Sr. High School, unveiled during a heartfelt dedication ceremony on Sunday morning.
Before a tight-knit crowd of family, friends and former teammates, District 205 celebrated the twin brothers’ lasting mark on Galesburg, with bold letters proclaiming “KIMBROUGH FIELDHOUSE” beneath their larger-than-life images.
The dedication, unanimously approved by the District 205 Board in October 2024, honors the Kimbroughs’ all-state prowess in football, basketball and track, including their starring roles on the undefeated 1956 football team and the 1956-57 basketball squad that clinched the iconic “stall game” against Rock Island.
The Kimbrough Fieldhouse dedication honored the late Albert Kimbrough and his living brother Elbert, who was unable to attend Sunday’s ceremony due to health issues.
Inaugural inductees into the Galesburg Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989, Elbert earned All-American honors and played in the NFL, while Albert built a distinguished career as a teacher, coach, and administrator at Evanston Township High School.
Kellie Kimbrough Mahone, Albert’s eldest daughter from Little Rock, Arkansas, spoke emotionally about her late father, who passed away on May 21, 2024. “I know he’s here,” she said. “Dad was humble, and this recognition would bring tears to his eyes. Galesburg meant everything to him.” She added, “Dad and Uncle E were inseparable.”
She also thanked retired teacher and longtime Galesburg girls basketball coach Evan Massey, along with former Streaks Rodney Bunch and Jimmie Carr, who sent a letter of nomination to District 205 requesting to name the athletic fieldhouse after the Kimbroughs.
“This is an honor we will cherish for the rest of our lives,” Kimbrough-Mahone said.
Exterior signage, featuring large, lighted black letters reading “Albert and Elbert Kimbrough Fieldhouse,” was installed on the east wall of the building earlier this spring.
Memorabilia from the Kimbroughs’ careers—including NFL jerseys, helmets, cleats, and scrapbooks filled with newspaper clippings—was displayed during the ceremony and will find a permanent home in the fieldhouse’s community room overlooking Van Dyke Field.
Emcee Steve Cheesman invited guests in attendance Sunday to share memories of the Kimbrough twins.
Larry Jackson, Elbert’s brother-in-law, said, “A & E put Galesburg on the map. Legacy means something, and what they did for Galesburg really can’t be put into words,” adding, “They were not only brothers, they were the best of friends who stayed close together for the rest of their lives.”
“These guys go back to the mid 50s, and for them to still resonate in this town, just amazes me, and makes me very, very proud,” said Kevin Jackson, another brother-in-law of Elbert. “And I’m so proud of GHS for doing this, as well as District 205.”
Stephanie Jackson Grimes, sister-in-law to Elbert, said she remembered watching watching him play NFL games at Green Bay, and it “being the coldest place in the world to watch a football game.” She added, “I want to thank District 205 for remembering two great men, not only on the football field and basketball court, but as educators as well.”
District 205 Athletic Director Nick Young emphasized the brothers’ enduring influence. “They were more than athletes—they were educators, family men, and mentors,” he said. “This fieldhouse shows kids from Galesburg they can dream big and achieve greatness.”
Young announced Sunday that the family of Albert Kimbrough has established the Albert and Joyce Kimbrough Scholarship, named after the former Streaks star and his wife. It will be awarded to a GHS senior student-athlete who has compiled a 3.0 GPA or greater, plays at least one sport and is active in the the community.
