American football player and coach (1907–1991)
Rainey Blackwell Cawthon (October 30, 1907 – April 11, 1991) was an American football player and coach for the Florida Gators of the University of Florida . Cawthon was a member of Florida's "Phantom Four" backfield with Clyde Crabtree , Carl Brumbaugh , and Royce Goodbread in 1928 which led the nation with 336 points scored.[ 1] He was also captain of the 1929 Florida team ,[ 2] [ 3] [ 4] and selected second-team for the composite All-Southern that year.[ 5] He was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great."[ 6] Cawthon was also active in the affairs of Florida State University , and was elected to the FSU Hall of Fame in 1987.[ 7]
Early years
He attended Leon High School .[ 8] Later college teammates Ben Clemons and Ed Sauls were high school teammates.
University of Florida
Cawthon on the beach.
Cawthon was a prominent running back for Tom Sebring and Charlie Bachman 's Florida Gators varsity football teams from 1927 to 1929. In Cawthon's sophomore year and first on the varsity, he suffered a broken wrist. Despite this he saw regular service in the backfield by the second game, and completed a 53-yard pass against Mercer .[ 9] In 1928, Cawthon scored a safety against North Carolina State ,[ 10] a touchdown against Sewanee , and a touchdown against Clemson . He also had a 40-yard run in the 26–6 win over Georgia in Savannah ,[ 11] the first-ever victory over the Bulldogs in school history.
See also
References
^ "Cawthon to Coach [sic]" . The Rattle of Theta Chi . 19 : 37. 1930.
^ " 'Gator Squad Has Four Benedicts" . Altoona Tribune . November 15, 1929. p. 20. Retrieved September 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Wealth of Backfield Talent Awaits Gator Grid Coach This Fall" . The Evening Independent . August 20, 1929. p. 9.
^ "Capt. Cawthon Out For While, 2 Others Down" . Miami News . September 19, 1929.
^ "Tulane, Alabama, Vandy, and Tennessee Win Two Positions On Honor Team". The Bee. December 4, 1929.
^ F Club, Hall of Fame, Gator Greats . Retrieved December 13, 2014.
^ "Rainey Cawthon Bio" . December 3, 2018.
^ "Leon High School football team" .
^ "Tau Banquets Sixteen Pledges" . The Rattle of Theta Chi . 16 (2): 71. 1927.
^ "Florida Defeats North Carolina By Score 14 to 7" . Kingsport Times . October 28, 1928. p. 6. Retrieved August 16, 2015 – via Newspapers.com .
^ " 'Gator Eleven Sweeps Over Bulldogs 26-0 (sic)" . Anniston Star . November 11, 1928. Retrieved August 15, 2015 – via Newspapers.com .