1919 Florida Gators football team

1919 Florida Gators football
Conference	Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record	5–3 (2–2 SIAA)
Head coach	Alfred L. Buser (3rd season)
Captain	Jim Sparkman
Home stadium	Fleming Field

1919 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Auburn $	5	–	1	–	0			8	–	1	–	0
Alabama	6	–	1	–	0			8	–	1	–	0
Centre	1	–	0	–	0			9	–	0	–	0
Kentucky	3	–	1	–	1			3	–	4	–	1
Georgia Tech	3	–	1	–	0			7	–	3	–	0
Tulane	3	–	1	–	1			6	–	2	–	1
Vanderbilt	3	–	1	–	2			5	–	1	–	2
Furman	2	–	1	–	1			6	–	2	–	1
Mississippi A&M	5	–	2	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
Georgia	4	–	2	–	2			4	–	2	–	3
LSU	3	–	2	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
Clemson	3	–	2	–	2			6	–	2	–	2
Florida	2	–	2	–	0			5	–	3	–	0
Wofford	1	–	1	–	0			3	–	2	–	1
Transylvania	1	–	1	–	0			2	–	4	–	0
Ole Miss	1	–	4	–	0			4	–	4	–	0
The Citadel	1	–	4	–	0			4	–	4	–	1
Sewanee	1	–	4	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
Georgetown (KY)	0	–	0	–	0			0	–	2	–	0
Tennessee	0	–	3	–	2			3	–	3	–	3
South Carolina	0	–	4	–	1			1	–	7	–	1
Mercer	0	–	1	–	0			0	–	2	–	0
Mississippi College	0	–	4	–	0			3	–	5	–	1
Howard (AL)	0	–	4	–	0			3	–	5	–	2
$ – Conference champion

The 1919 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the. 1919 college football season. It was Alfred L. Buser's third and last as the head coach of the Florida Gators football team.

Florida students, fans and alumni had learned to suffer through football losses to major Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) opponents like the Georgia Bulldogs and Tulane Green Wave, but the 7–0 loss to the Florida Southern was viewed by many as an unacceptable failure. Nevertheless, Buser's 1919 Florida Gators completed their football season with an improved overall record of 5–3^[1] and an SIAA conference record of 2–2.^[2]

Before the season

George B. Sparkman, Jr. assisted the Gators.^[3]

The team's captain was Jim Sparkman, who returned from World War I service with the Rainbow Division after playing for Florida from 1914 to 1916.^[4] Rondo Hatton was a substitute quarterback on the team.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance
October 4		Georgia A&M*	Fleming Field Gainesville, FL	W 33–2	1,200
October 18		Mercer	Fleming Field Gainesville, FL	W 48–0
October 25		vs. Georgia	Plant Field Tampa, FL (rivalry)	L 0–16	3,000
November 1	3:30 p.m.	vs. Florida Southern*	McAdoo Field St. Petersburg, FL	L 0–7
November 8		at Tulane	Second Tulane Stadium New Orleans, LA	L 2–14
November 15		Stetson*	Fleming Field Gainesville, FL	W 64–0	600+
November 22		at South Carolina	Melton Field Columbia, SC	W 13–0
November 27		Oglethorpe*	Fleming Field Gainesville, FL	W 14–7
*Non-conference game

^[1]

Game summaries

Georgia A&M

The season opened with a 33–2 defeat of Georgia A&M.^[5]

The starting lineup was Clemons (left end), Wuthrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Perry (center), Baker (right guard), Goldsby (right tackle), Thomas (right end), B. Anderson (quarterback), C. Anderson (left halfback), Sparkman (right halfback), Olson (fullback).^[5]

Mercer

Mercer at Florida

1 2 3 4 Total Mercer 0 0 0 0 0 • Florida 18 12 12 6 48 Date: October 18 Location: Gainesville, FL Sources:[3]

In spite of rain and mud, the Gators beat the Mercer Baptists 48–0.^[3] Three hundred students led a parade in Gainesville afterwards.^[3] No extra points were kicked all game due to the wet condition of the ball.^[3] Florida scored first on a 40-yard touchdown run from C. Anderson.^[3]

The starting lineup was Clemons (left end), Wuthrich (left tackle), Connell (left guard), Perry (center), Baker (right guard), Goldsby (right tackle), Thomas (right end), B. Anderson (quarterback), C. Anderson (left halfback), Sparkman (right halfback), Merrin (fullback).^[3]

Tootie Perry

Georgia

Georgia at Florida

1 2 3 4 Total • Georgia 0 0 13 3 16 Florida 0 0 0 0 0 Date: October 25 Location: Plant Field Tampa, FL Game attendance: 3,000 Referee: Stricker Coles Sources:[6]

Tootie Perry had a breakout game in a 16–0 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs on Plant Field, dueling with Georgia center Bum Day.^[6] The Gators kept the game close for three quarters.^[6]

The starting lineup was Thomas (left end), Goldsby (left tackle), Baker (left guard), Perry (center), Connell (right guard), Wuthrich (right tackle), Clemons (right end), Hatton (quarterback), Anderson (left halfback), Sparkman (right halfback), Merrin (fullback).^[6]

Florida Southern

Florida at Florida Southern

1 2 3 4 Total Florida 0 0 0 0 0 • Southern 7 0 0 0 7 Date: November 1 Location: McAdoo Field, St. Petersburg, FL Game start: 3:30 p.m. Referee: Stricker Coles Sources:[7][8][9][10][11]

In the 7–0 upset loss to Florida Southern, captain Jim Sparkman seemed the only one to draw praise.^[12]

The starting lineup was Clemons (left end), Baker (left tackle), Norton (left guard), Perry (center), Gunn (right guard), Goldsby (right tackle), Thomas (right end), B. Anderson (quarterback), C. Anderson (left halfback), Sparkman (right halfback), Stanley (fullback).^[7]

Tulane

Florida at Tulane

1 2 3 4 Total Florida 0 2 0 0 2 • Tulane 0 0 7 7 14 Date: November 8 Location: New Orleans, LA Sources:[13]

Tulane beat the Gators 14–2 with its swift backfield. The Gators led 2–0 at the half.^[14] In the third periods, Tulane's Williams completed a pass for a touchdown. In the fourth period, Fields ran for a touchdown on a 30-yard end run.^[13]

Stetson

Florida romped over Stetson 64–0. The Hatters resorted to using the forward pass.^[15]

South Carolina

Florida at South Carolina

1 2 3 4 Total • Florida 0 7 6 0 13 S. Carolina 0 0 0 0 0 Date: November 22 Location: Columbia, SC Sources:[16]

The Gators line tore through the South Carolina Gamecocks in a 13–0 victory.^[16] Crom Anderson made the first touchdown on a 15-yard reception.^[16] In the third quarter, Merrin rushed through the line and blocked a punt, and Baker fell on Florida's second touchdown.^[16]

The starting lineup was Swanson (left end), Baker (left tackle), Wuthrich (left guard), Perry (center), Connell (right guard), Goldsby (right tackle), Thomas (right end), B. Anderson (quarterback), C. Anderson (left halfback), Sparkman (right halfback), Merrin (fullback).^[16]

Oglethorpe

Oglethorpe at Florida

1 2 3 4 Total Oglethorpe 7 0 0 0 7 • Florida 0 14 0 0 14 Date: November 27 Location: Gainesville, FL Sources:[17]

To close the season, the Gators defeated Oglethorpe 14–7. Despite the score and being outweighed, Oglethorpe outplayed the Gators.^[17] Oglethorpe's touchdown came conventionally, and both Florida scores were off turnovers: the first after a fumble and the second after a blocked punt.^[17]

The starting lineup was Clemons (left end), Baker (left tackle), Wuthrich (left guard), Perry (center), Connell (right guard), Goldsby (right tackle), Thomas (right end), B. Anderson (quarterback), Sparkman (left halfback), C. Anderson (right halfback), Merrin (fullback).^[17]

Postseason

Al Buser finished his three-year tenure as the Gators' athletic director and football coach with an overall record of 7–8, and he later became the athletic director for Hamline University.

Personnel

Line

Player	Position	Games started	Hometown	Prep school	Height	Weight	Age
Paul Baker	guard				6'2"	198
Gordon Clemons	end				6'0"	155
H. Connell	guard				6'1"	190
C. Devane	guard				6'0"	175
Jack Goldsby	tackle				5'7"	187
Tootie Perry	center		Rochelle, Florida		5'10"	210
R. Swanson	end				5'11"	160
C. Thomas	end				6'0"	170
H. Warner	tackle				5'10"	178
E. Wuthrich	tackle				5'8"	185
M. Yancey	end				5'10"	148

Backfield

Player	Position	Games started	Hometown	Prep school	Height	Weight	Age
Crom Anderson	halfback				6'0"	165
W. Gunn	halfback				5'10"	174
J. Merrin	fullback				6'0"	168
Jim Sparkman	halfback				5'9"	165
L. Wilson	halfback				5'11"	148

References

1. 2015 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived 2015-12-08 at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, p. 107 (2015). Retrieved August 16, 2015.
2. Roger Saylor, "Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Archived 2011-05-23 at the Wayback Machine," College Football Historical Society, The LA84 Foundation (1993). Retrieved September 11, 2010.
3. "Nightshirt Parade Celebrates Mercer's 48 to 0 Defeat". The Florida Alligator. October 24, 1919.
4. McEwen 1974, p. 64
5. "Large Crowd Sees The Gators Under Sparkman Defeat A&M". The Florida Alligator. October 10, 1919.
6. "'Gators Fight Georgia To End". The Florida Alligator. Vol. 8, no. 5. October 31, 1919.
7. "Florida Outclassed In Every Stage of the Game". The Southern. Vol. 2, no. 6. November 6, 1919.
8. "Stage Set For City's First College Game". St. Petersburg Daily Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. November 1, 1919. p. 1. Retrieved August 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
9. "Stage Set for City's First College Game (continued)". St. Petersburg Daily Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. November 1, 1919. p. 5. Retrieved August 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
10. "Southern Wins by Florida's Fumbles". St. Petersburg Daily Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. November 2, 1919. p. 1. Retrieved August 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
11. "Southern Wins by Florida's Fumbles (continued)". St. Petersburg Daily Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. November 2, 1919. p. 6. Retrieved August 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
12. "Southern Trims Gators; 7-0 Score". The Florida Alligator. November 7, 1919.
13. "Tulane 14, Florida 2". The Atlanta Constitution. November 9, 1919. p. 5. Retrieved July 23, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Gator Eleven Rallies And Holds Tulane Greenbacks; Score 14-2". The Florida Alligator. November 14, 1919.
15. "Stetson Eleven Falls Before 'Gators Sat. On Fleming Field". November 21, 1919.
16. "Gamecock Feathers Fly When Florida Gators Romp On South Carolina To Tune of 13 To 0". The Florida Alligator. Vol. 8, no. 9. November 27, 1919.
17. Bob Nicholes (November 28, 1919). "Oglethorpe Eleven Gave Florida Scare Fighting Hard Game". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 19. Retrieved May 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.

Bibliography

• McEwen, Tom (1974). The Gators: A Story of Florida Football. Huntsville, Alabama: The Strode Publishers. ISBN 0-87397-025-X.