Mr. Two Bits Update

ChiefGator · Dec 21, 2017

I found this on another site and thought we would like it as well

Mr. Two Bits, George Edmondson, is now 95. Mr. Edmondson, who lives in Tampa with his wife Jane, suffers from Alzheimer's. Some things you may not know about George Edmondson.

George was a United States Navy fighter pilot during World War II
He did not attend the University of Florida but was named an honorary alumnus in 2005
Mr. Edmondson was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as an "honorary letter winner" in 1992
George and his wife Jane sponsor the Mr. Two Bits Scholarship Fund, which benefits a University of Florida cheerleader every year
In the early 1980s, Tampa Bay Bucs owner Hugh Culverhouse offered to pay Edmondson to lead the Two Bits cheer at his hometown Bucs games. Edmondson declined the offer, saying, "What I do for the Gators is from the heart, not from the pocketbook"
George Edmondson will be 96 on New Years Day.
He was born January 01, 1922.

I'll bet George would appreciate a Christmas / birthday card or two from his extended Gator family.

http://www.mr2bits.org/

He is a great example of a Gator who will always be remembered by me.

Comment or sent cards as you desire.

GatorFL · Dec 21, 2017

Thanks for sharing!

biggator6 · Dec 21, 2017

wow.. had no idea.

I guess I count myself lucky that he was still a spry younger man when I was there and got to see him at every home game.

T REX · Dec 21, 2017

I always wondered why they waited till 2005.

Good dude.

GatorStud · Dec 21, 2017

I have been honored a half dozen times to sit in the "Lucky Section" when George popped out in high octane mode and then disappear just as quick. Great, great memories. Thanks George for the dose of focus you brought to the games. Go Gator!

:chomp:

soflagator · Dec 21, 2017

Awesome story. I was fortunate enough to meet him as a child, which was a thrilling moment for all young Gators at that time. And I’ll never forget how drenched in sweat he was every time I saw him, just plugging along like it was nothing. He truly did mean so much to those games, and as is mentioned above, did it from the heart.

browardgator87 · Dec 22, 2017

I have my own Mr 2 Bits story. First off, I was raised on the Gators. My parents never missed a home game and I attended many games with them in the 70s and always looked forward to the prospect of Mr 2 Bits emerging near our section. I never thought of going anywhere else for college and was accepted (not exactly the accomplishment back then that it is today, TO SAY THE LEAST) and had my dorm assignment and everything. But then due to a last minute offer, I ended up going to The Citadel to play tennis. I continued to be a Gator fan while at The Citadel and, in fact, would drive down to Jacksonville every year to meet my parents for the Ga game (not so fun in the early 80s!). One day at tennis practice my sophomore year, our coach (who was in his 60s and was a Citadel grad), told us that he would not be at practice the following day because he would be entertaining a friend he had not seen in years. Two days later at practice, knowing that I was a big Gator fan, coach asked me if I had ever heard of a man who was some sort of cheerleader at the home Gator games. Of course, I reply "Are you talking about Mr. 2 Bits?" to which he replies "yes". As it turns out, George Edmondson and my coach were roommates freshman year at The Citadel. George ended up leaving school after his freshman year and enlisted in the Navy. My coach had not seen him in like 40 years. I guess George mentioned his cheerleading side gig but obviously did not convey his stature in the Gator-world. I had to explain to my coach how Mr 2 Bits was an institution! Funny enough, the very first Gator game where George became Mr 2 Bits was against The Citadel. He didn't like how the fans were down on the Gators and decided to get up and do something about it. And to compete the circle, his final official game several years ago was also against The Citadel. Of course, I wasn't going to miss that game since it was my two alma maters (I made it back to G'ville for my law degree). We stayed at the UF Hilton (where Mr 2 Bits would also stay the night before games) and ran into him and his wife in the lobby. I was able to introduce myself in the lobby and recount this story to him and also get a picture of me and my daughters with him.

BNAG8R · Dec 22, 2017

browardgator87 said:
I have my own Mr 2 Bits story. First off, I was raised on the Gators. My parents never missed a home game and I attended many games with them in the 70s and always looked forward to the prospect of Mr 2 Bits emerging near our section. I never thought of going anywhere else for college and was accepted (not exactly the accomplishment back then that it is today, TO SAY THE LEAST) and had my dorm assignment and everything. But then due to a last minute offer, I ended up going to The Citadel to play tennis. I continued to be a Gator fan while at The Citadel and, in fact, would drive down to Jacksonville every year to meet my parents for the Ga game (not so fun in the early 80s!). One day at tennis practice my sophomore year, our coach (who was in his 60s and was a Citadel grad), told us that he would not be at practice the following day because he would be entertaining a friend he had not seen in years. Two days later at practice, knowing that I was a big Gator fan, coach asked me if I had ever heard of a man who was some sort of cheerleader at the home Gator games. Of course, I reply "Are you talking about Mr. 2 Bits?" to which he replies "yes". As it turns out, George Edmondson and my coach were roommates freshman year at The Citadel. George ended up leaving school after his freshman year and enlisted in the Navy. My coach had not seen him in like 40 years. I guess George mentioned his cheerleading side gig but obviously did not convey his stature in the Gator-world. I had to explain to my coach how Mr 2 Bits was an institution! Funny enough, the very first Gator game where George became Mr 2 Bits was against The Citadel. He didn't like how the fans were down on the Gators and decided to get up and do something about it. And to compete the circle, his final official game several years ago was also against The Citadel. Of course, I wasn't going to miss that game since it was my two alma maters (I made it back to G'ville for my law degree). We stayed at the UF Hilton (where Mr 2 Bits would also stay the night before games) and ran into him and his wife in the lobby. I was able to introduce myself in the lobby and recount this story to him and also get a picture of me and my daughters with him.

Great story and post more often. We have a shortage of quality lawyers around here.

Swamp Queen · Dec 22, 2017

browardgator87 said:
I have my own Mr 2 Bits story. First off, I was raised on the Gators. My parents never missed a home game and I attended many games with them in the 70s and always looked forward to the prospect of Mr 2 Bits emerging near our section. I never thought of going anywhere else for college and was accepted (not exactly the accomplishment back then that it is today, TO SAY THE LEAST) and had my dorm assignment and everything. But then due to a last minute offer, I ended up going to The Citadel to play tennis. I continued to be a Gator fan while at The Citadel and, in fact, would drive down to Jacksonville every year to meet my parents for the Ga game (not so fun in the early 80s!). One day at tennis practice my sophomore year, our coach (who was in his 60s and was a Citadel grad), told us that he would not be at practice the following day because he would be entertaining a friend he had not seen in years. Two days later at practice, knowing that I was a big Gator fan, coach asked me if I had ever heard of a man who was some sort of cheerleader at the home Gator games. Of course, I reply "Are you talking about Mr. 2 Bits?" to which he replies "yes". As it turns out, George Edmondson and my coach were roommates freshman year at The Citadel. George ended up leaving school after his freshman year and enlisted in the Navy. My coach had not seen him in like 40 years. I guess George mentioned his cheerleading side gig but obviously did not convey his stature in the Gator-world. I had to explain to my coach how Mr 2 Bits was an institution! Funny enough, the very first Gator game where George became Mr 2 Bits was against The Citadel. He didn't like how the fans were down on the Gators and decided to get up and do something about it. And to compete the circle, his final official game several years ago was also against The Citadel. Of course, I wasn't going to miss that game since it was my two alma maters (I made it back to G'ville for my law degree). We stayed at the UF Hilton (where Mr 2 Bits would also stay the night before games) and ran into him and his wife in the lobby. I was able to introduce myself in the lobby and recount this story to him and also get a picture of me and my daughters with him.

Fantastic story!

Slevin · Dec 22, 2017

Growing up, there was a box in section 1 (had the one on the box) that nobody even sat in. Even the big games it was always empty. George would come up to do the two bits cheer at least once a game in our area and would sit in the box until he was ready. George was a huge part of my memory growing up in the Swamp. One of the all time great legends

ChiefGator · Dec 22, 2017

browardgator87 said:
I have my own Mr 2 Bits story. First off, I was raised on the Gators. My parents never missed a home game and I attended many games with them in the 70s and always looked forward to the prospect of Mr 2 Bits emerging near our section. I never thought of going anywhere else for college and was accepted (not exactly the accomplishment back then that it is today, TO SAY THE LEAST) and had my dorm assignment and everything. But then due to a last minute offer, I ended up going to The Citadel to play tennis. I continued to be a Gator fan while at The Citadel and, in fact, would drive down to Jacksonville every year to meet my parents for the Ga game (not so fun in the early 80s!). One day at tennis practice my sophomore year, our coach (who was in his 60s and was a Citadel grad), told us that he would not be at practice the following day because he would be entertaining a friend he had not seen in years. Two days later at practice, knowing that I was a big Gator fan, coach asked me if I had ever heard of a man who was some sort of cheerleader at the home Gator games. Of course, I reply "Are you talking about Mr. 2 Bits?" to which he replies "yes". As it turns out, George Edmondson and my coach were roommates freshman year at The Citadel. George ended up leaving school after his freshman year and enlisted in the Navy. My coach had not seen him in like 40 years. I guess George mentioned his cheerleading side gig but obviously did not convey his stature in the Gator-world. I had to explain to my coach how Mr 2 Bits was an institution! Funny enough, the very first Gator game where George became Mr 2 Bits was against The Citadel. He didn't like how the fans were down on the Gators and decided to get up and do something about it. And to compete the circle, his final official game several years ago was also against The Citadel. Of course, I wasn't going to miss that game since it was my two alma maters (I made it back to G'ville for my law degree). We stayed at the UF Hilton (where Mr 2 Bits would also stay the night before games) and ran into him and his wife in the lobby. I was able to introduce myself in the lobby and recount this story to him and also get a picture of me and my daughters with him.

Great story I understand he had an "assigned" room at one point that he stayed in for every game. It is a great story that some fans today surely need as a lesson as to what a real fan is, not just winning but supporting your team.

I wonder how we could send him some greetings that would perhaps brighten his day, that disease is a hard thing.

MADGator · Dec 22, 2017

I was born and raised in Jax. In 1977 I joined the Boy Scouts in Orange Park. The highlight of every scouting year for me was getting to "usher" the Fla-Ga game, and to a much lesser extent, the Gator Bowl. My first year of ushering the Fla-Ga game was '77 and it was an epic first experience to the WLOCP.
So after finishing my ushering duties that day I went and found a spot in an aisle on the fifty yard line and sat down to watch the game. At some point, up the stairs comes Mr Two Bits! The crowd went into a tizzy! I swear youd have thought we were being visited by the pope! Well, as it happens, he stops about two steps below me and starts blowing that whistle! He leads the cheer, and it was one of those times were our section started it but the Gator fans all over the stadium were into it and they all joined in! It was so energizing to hear the fans screaming their fool heads off all over! After the cheer finished folks were shaking Georges hand and patting him on the back like he was royalty (Gator royalty!) and he looked at the guy sitting in the aisle seat right across from me and asked if he could sit down; of course they all packed in and made room for him. I think the guy would have played the part of an ottoman had George merely asked. As for me I must have been staring, because he leaned over and said Hi to me and shook my hand. Knock me over with a feather. Pretty heady stuff for a 12 year old.
The Gators ended up winning that game which gave me a lot of false confidence because that was the first game they had won in several years and I don't think we won again until '83, my freshman year at UF. It was a great day to be a Gator!

My other major memory from that day? The booze bottles. My god they were EV-ERY-WHERE!!!

Mr2Bits · Dec 22, 2017

Thanks everyone for the kind words!

MidwestChomp · Dec 26, 2017

Hate to see people suffering from Alzheimers. Hard to imagine someone who had that much influence on the Gators not remembering any of it. I know he doesn't fit the criteria, but he should have his name on the ring of honor.

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Mr. Two Bits Update

ChiefGator

A Chief and a Gator, Master of the Ignore list!!!!

GatorFL

Well-Known Member

biggator6

Junior Member

T REX

Well-Known Member

GatorStud

Score Points, Be Happy

soflagator

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browardgator87

Newbie

BNAG8R

I don’t care

Swamp Queen

Mrs. Sasquatch

Slevin

Law’s Alter-Ego

ChiefGator

A Chief and a Gator, Master of the Ignore list!!!!

MADGator

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Mr2Bits

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MidwestChomp

Fun was the goal and we hit the bullseye

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