Gator history

[stephenPE]

I grew up memorizing the game day programs from the 1960s. We had very few All Americans then. This guy was the first. On a great team that missed the Rose bowl with a loss to UT. Fla had great speed on that team and the story was they watered the field in Knoxville all night to slow us down.

Florida Historical Society​

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12/8 Today in Florida History from the Florida Historical Society!
1928 – Dale Van Sickle, right end for the Florida Gators, was voted to the first Team College Football All-American squad, the first University of Florida player to receive the honor. Van Sickle was born in Eatonton, Georgia, but grew up in Gainesville and began his academic career at UF in 1927. Along with football, Van Sickle played both varsity baseball and basketball, although he is most famous for his post-collegiate Hollywood acting and stuntman career, which spanned over thirty years.

 

[Okeechobee Joe]

My dad was a student at Tennessee in 1928 and went to the Florida game. He said that the Florida students came up to Knoxville from Jacksonville on the train. They were wearing little beanie caps with little bill like baseball caps. He said the UT students had a lot of fun razing the UF students about the caps and he said that some of the Tennessee fans stole some of them off the Florida fans heads. I believe he said at one time he had one of them.

Tennessee won that game 13 -12. I heard a lot about this game, General Neyland and Tennessee football growing up. Neyland had a crafty quarterback in his single wing formation by the name of Robert Lee Dodd, yes, that Bobby Dodd who went on to become a legendary coach at Georgia Tech. Quarterback in the single wing was not the main cog like it is in more modern formations. In the single wing the offense was run by the tailback who handled the ball on most of the plays and threw the passes. Ray Graves who also played later at Tennessee under Coach Neyland coached Bobby Dodd, Jr at UF. Dodd, Jr a backup quarterback played an instrumental role in the Gators 18 -17 upset win over his dad's Georgia Tech team in 1960.

Another tie in to the 1928 Tennessee - Florida game goes back to my time at UF as a freshman in 1968. Stephen C. O'Connell a UF alum was the new President of the University of Florida. O'Connell entered his Presidency at the time of a lot of campus turmoil, not only at UF, but all over the nation. He was both forward looking and backwards looking. He put a brick walk through the Plaza of the Americas and wanted students to greet one another as they passed each other on this walkway. UF was undergoing a lot of social change and a lot of the UF students at that time made fun of O'Connell's efforts. Over at the Campus Bookstore, known at the Hub, they sold little UF baseball cap type beanies. I think it was a nod to some past UF traditions. There's always a strong pull of nostalgia during times of change. I never bought one and recall only seeing one guy who wore one, an intellectual looking student with thick glasses and a beard who used to study at the library at night.

In 1928 Bobby Dodd was part of some Tennessee players known to football history as the "Flaming Sophomores". In 1969 UF had John Reaves, Carlos Alvarez, Tommy Durrance and others known as the "Super Sophs". And most of us know the tie in between Doug Dickey and Florida and Tennessee. Interesting times to say the least.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

Next up on corch's story list:

 

[AlexDaGator]

My dad was a student at Tennessee in 1928 and went to the Florida game. He said that the Florida students came up to Knoxville from Jacksonville on the train. They were wearing little beanie caps with little bill like baseball caps. He said the UT students had a lot of fun razing the UF students about the caps and he said that some of the Tennessee fans stole some of them off the Florida fans heads. I believe he said at one time he had one of them.

Tennessee won that game 13 -12. I heard a lot about this game, General Neyland and Tennessee football growing up. Neyland had a crafty quarterback in his single wing formation by the name of Robert Lee Dodd, yes, that Bobby Dodd who went on to become a legendary coach at Georgia Tech. Quarterback in the single wing was not the main cog like it is in more modern formations. In the single wing the offense was run by the tailback who handled the ball on most of the plays and threw the passes. Ray Graves who also played later at Tennessee under Coach Neyland coached Bobby Dodd, Jr at UF. Dodd, Jr a backup quarterback played an instrumental role in the Gators 18 -17 upset win over his dad's Georgia Tech team in 1960.

Another tie in to the 1928 Tennessee - Florida game goes back to my time at UF as a freshman in 1968. Stephen C. O'Connell a UF alum was the new President of the University of Florida. O'Connell entered his Presidency at the time of a lot of campus turmoil, not only at UF, but all over the nation. He was both forward looking and backwards looking. He put a brick walk through the Plaza of the Americas and wanted students to greet one another as they passed each other on this walkway. UF was undergoing a lot of social change and a lot of the UF students at that time made fun of O'Connell's efforts. Over at the Campus Bookstore, known at the Hub, they sold little UF baseball cap type beanies. I think it was a nod to some past UF traditions. There's always a strong pull of nostalgia during times of change. I never bought one and recall only seeing one guy who wore one, an intellectual looking student with thick glasses and a beard who used to study at the library at night.

In 1928 Bobby Dodd was part of some Tennessee players known to football history as the "Flaming Sophomores". In 1969 UF had John Reaves, Carlos Alvarez, Tommy Durrance and others known as the "Super Sophs". And most of us know the tie in between Doug Dickey and Florida and Tennessee. Interesting times to say the least.

Rat Caps. Freshmen had to wear them. Made them easy to identify for hazing purposes. I think if we won homecoming or against UGA or something, the freshmen were allowed to stop wearing them early.

Mentioned in this article (including a few pictures)--

Ten Lost UF Traditions - University of Florida Advancement


Alex.

 

[B52G8rAC]

President O'Connell tried to resurrect the tradition in 1969. My then future bride was a freshman and she actually bought one of those things.

 

[gardnerwebbgator]

UT harassing fans committing theft. Some things never change.

Oh, and skull**** Neyland’s corpse with a plunger.

 

[stephenPE]

More important history.

The late Ray Graves was born 105 years ago today. Pictured below: University of Florida head coach Ray Graves is pictured with quarterback Steve Spurrier on the sidelines during the Gators' 27-17 victory over Georgia Tech in the 1967 Orange Bowl. Graves was head coach at the University of Florida from 1960 to 1969. He led the Gators to their first New Year's Day bowl appearances, including the 1966 Sugar Bowl and 1967 Orange Bowl. His quarterback in both of those games was Steve Spurrier, who won the Heisman Trophy in 1966. Graves racked up a career record of 70-31-4, including a 4-1 record in bowl games.
But perhaps Graves' greatest contribution to the game was when he allowed Dr. Robert Cade, a professor in the University of Florida College of Medicine, to conduct dehydration analysis and rehydration experiments using team members which led to the formulation of Gatorade in 1965. After seeing remarkable results using Gatorade after an intrasquad scrimmage, Graves decided to make enough for the entire team for a game against LSU. The Gators would come from behind to win after LSU wilted in the 102 degree heat. Graves eventually told his close friend Hank Stram about Gatorade's effectiveness. It would eventually become the official drink of the NFL. Ray Graves passed away on April 10, 2015. He was 96 years old.

This was actually the beginning of IMPORTANT gator football history. First NY day bowl games (two) pretty much doubled our all Americans. Most wins in a year, Ray won 70% of his games. FIRST Heisman. It was glorious at the time.
btw this hrother found steve up where he lived in Tenn. Told steve about him. And his wife's name was Opal. Ray played for the Pilly Eagles I believe.

 

[stephenPE]

sitting here very early ( dermat. appt at 8) watching the highlights of bama/mich. They flash up a stat of most bowl games LOST in a row. . DOUG DICKEEY is tied for 2nd with seven losses from 1968 to 1977. Two he was tied with were Tom Osborne and Bo Schembechler. Some of his bowl losses wewre at Tennessee before he got to Fla. Don Nehlen was first with 8. Hair Ball had six in a row till he beat bammer last night. Havent seen a reference to Doug D in a LONNNNNNGGGG time.

 

[fischerwood]

You forgot about my favorite: when the warm Spring weather brought out the co-eds without bras under their blouses strolling on the Plaza of the Americas. Lunch in the shade just watching was most enjoyable!

 

[Spurffelbow833]

View attachment 66014

I think this was Coach Graves congratulating the HBC on surpassing him as the winningest Gators football coach.