ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell football great Pete Gogolak '64 and his brother, Princeton star Charlie Gogolak, were honored as the National Football Foundation's Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award Recipients at the 58th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 8 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.

The first soccer-style place-kicker in collegiate football history, Pete Gogolak set a national major college record of 44 consecutive kicking conversions from 1961-63. Overall, his conversion record was 54-for-55 for his three-year varsity career. His 50-yard field goal vs. Lehigh in 1963 was the nation's longest in a major college game at the time. After graduation he starred with the Buffalo Bills and the New York Giants, setting the Giants' all-time scoring record. He was the first player to switch from the American Football League to the National Football League which started a trend. As an undergraduate he resided in Ogdensburg, N.Y., after he and his family fled Hungary following the revolt in 1956.

Gogolak began working at RR Donnelly, a Manhattan based financial printing firm, immediately after his retirement from the NFL, and he served more than 40 years as the vice president of sales. In 1984, he was selected to the Buffalo Bills Silver Anniversary Team. In 2010, the New York Giants announced that he would be included in the team's new Ring of Honor in MetLife Stadium. He is also a member of the American Football Kicking Hall of Fame.

His brother, Charlie, was a two-time first-team All-Ivy League selection and was named a first team All-American in 1965. He converted 16-of-23 field goals in 1965, highlighted by a perfect 6-for-6 performance in a 32-6 win over Rutgers. He kicked a perfect 33-for-33 on PATs in 1965 and 89-for-94 in his career. Charlie finished his career with seven NCAA kicking records and broke his brother Pete's record by connecting on 50 extra points without a miss. He later became the first placekicker selected in the first round of the NFL Draft when he was taken with the sixth overall pick by the Washington Redskins. In three seasons with the Redskins, he converted 32-of-57 field goals and 72-of-75 extra points. In a 72-41 Redskins win over the Giants in 1966, Pete and Charlie combined for 14 extra points, tied for the most ever in NFL history.

First presented in 1974, the NFF Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award provides national recognition to those whose efforts to support the NFF and its goals have been local in nature or who have made significant contributions to the game of football either to the manner in which it is played and coached or to the manner in which it is enjoyed by spectators. The Gogolaks become the 39th and 40th recipients of the award.

The Gogolaks accepted their award alongside the recipients of the other NFF Major Awards, including Jim Hawthorne (the recipient of the Chris Schenkel Award for excellence in broadcasting), Michigan State Athletics Director Mark Hollis (the recipient of the John L. Toner Award for excellence in athletics administration), former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice (the recipient of the NFF Gold Medal Award) and Rear Adm. Bill Byrne of the United States Naval Academy, Capt. Jared Tew of the United States Air Force Academy and Maj. Graham White of the United States Military Academy (co-recipients of the NFF Distinguished American Award). The NFF will also present NFF Legacy Awards to former SEC Commissioner Mike Slive and former Big 12 Senior Associate Commissioner for Football Donnie Duncan. Additionally, Yale's Dick Jauron was among those inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

For ticket information regarding the 58th NFF Annual Awards Dinner, please contact NFF Director of External Relations Will Rudd at (972) 556-1000 or wrudd@footballfoundation.com.

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Recipients of the NFF Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award include:
2015 – Charlie and Pete Gogolak
2014 – Jim Host
2013 – Dennie Poppe
2012 – No honoree
2011 – Verne Lundquist, Brent Musburger
2010 – Dr. Joseph Kearney
2009 – Dan Jenkins
2008 – Bill Battle
2007 – The Collegiate Bowl Games
2006 – ESPN's College GameDay
2005 – Prentice Gautt
2004 – Rick Dickson, Pat Harmon
2003 – Rudy J. Riska
2002 – Dal Shealy
2001 – Thomas C. Hansen
2000 – Tom Nugent
1999 – Chuck Neinas
1998 – Marino H. Casem
1997 – Jack Lengyel
1996 – Robert M. "Scotty" Whitelaw
1995 – Fred Jacoby
1994 – Mike Cleary
1993 – John E. "Buddy" Leake
1992 – Eddie Robinson
1991 – Don B. Canham
1990 – Bill Nicholas
1989 – Bob Woodruff
1988 – Lindsey Nelson
1987 – Chris Schenkel
1986 – Rex Farrior
1985 – A.F. "Bud" Dudley
1984 – No honoree
1983 – Gov. William Winter
1982 – Earnest E. Seiler
1981 – Edward "Moose" Krause
1980 – Field Scovell
1979 – No honoree
1978 – Jack Farcasin
1977 – No honoree
1976 – No honoree
1975 – Joseph J. Tomlin
1974 – Lathrop King Leishman