Gale went to Andrew Jackson High School in New York City and came to Cornell in 1943 as part of a Naval training program.

Due to the shortage of college-aged players brought about by World War II, Gale was one of many freshmen nationwide who were allowed to play despite NCAA eligibility rules of the day.

Dartmouth had won the Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League but had lost seven of its top ten players to military service.

[3] The two newcomers joined All-American Aud Brindley to lead the Indians all the way to the national championship game, which they lost to Utah in overtime.

He was with the company for 25 years before dying unexpectedly due to a heart attack at age 50 on May 29, 1975, on a business trip in Skokie, Illinois.