A native of Macomb, Illinois, Gamage attended and played football at Western Illinois State Normal School—now Western Illinois University—and the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. He coached at University of Kentucky from 1927 to 1933 and, during his tenure, compiled a 32–25–5 record, including his best season of 6–1–1 in 1929. He subsequently became the head football coach at the University of South Dakota, where he served from 1934 to 1941 and, following World War II service, from 1946 to 1955.