Walter Mayberry

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Walter Mayberry
"Tiger"
Florida Gators – No. 64
PositionHalfback
Class1937
Personal information
Born:(1915-03-14)March 14, 1915
Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S.
Died:by March 5, 1944(1944-03-05) (aged 28)
Rabaul, New Britain
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight172 lb (78 kg)
Career history
CollegeFlorida (1934–1937)
High schoolMainland (Daytona Beach, Florida)
Career highlights and awards

Walter Thomas "Tiger" Mayberry (March 14, 1915 – by March 5, 1944) was an American college football player, and later a U.S. Marine Corps fighter pilot. Mayberry was a casualty of World War II; dying in a Japanese prisoner of war camp after his plane was shot down.[1]

Mayberry was a prominent

1938 NFL Draft, but never played in the NFL. He was the first Gator drafted into the league.[6][7]

Early years

Mayberry was born on March 14, 1915, in Daytona Beach, Florida, and attended Mainland High School in his hometown.[8] His father Tom operated a small grocery store.[9] His mother was Helena Marie Murphy of Lewiston, Maine. He played for the Mainland Buccaneers high school football team, and suffered a broken neck while playing.[10]

University of Florida

In the fall of 1934, Mayberry enrolled as a freshman and attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. He was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.[11]

Football

After playing freshman football for a season, he played for the varsity

Dutch Stanley. Stanley called Mayberry the best player he ever saw.[13] In three seasons of college football, he amassed 2,019 yards of total offense, including 713 yards passing and 1,306 yards rushing; on defense, he accumulated eleven interceptions.[n 1]

As a junior in 1936 Mayberry played at halfback and substitute quarterback.[14] He returned a kick for 75 yards for a touchdown in a victory over the Stetson Hatters.[5] Mayberry also provided most of the yardage in an 18–7 win over the Sewanee Tigers.[15] He earned second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors at the conclusion of the season.[16]

Mayberry

As the senior team captain in 1937, Mayberry ranked second in the country with 818 rushing yards; only

Pop Warner's Temple Owls,[23] keeping the 10,000 spectators "in an uproar for nearly three periods."[24]

In fall 1937, scout Henry McLemore of the

United Press wrote in a piece on Southern football: "And when the time comes to pick the outstanding players of the year it wouldn't be a bad idea to mention "Tiger" Mayberry, captain and halfback of Florida's team . . . given a stronger eleven to work with, and Mayberry would be in the headlines Saturday after Saturday."[25] McLemore later added: "I have not seen a better back in six years than Mayberry . . . Wallace Wade, Bernie Moore, and Harry Mehre all told me that Mayberry was the best back in the South, one of the best they have seen in half a dozen years and certainly the best that Florida has produced in a decade."[26] Another sportswriter quipped, "The south says: All-America scouts should keep an eye on "Tiger" Mayberry, Florida back ... The guy has it."[27]

NFL

In the

Cleveland Rams.[28] He said he would play professional football if the Rams made him an offer he considered "worthwhile."[29] He went on to say: "If the offer is right I will sign to play pro football next year."[29] After entertaining an offer, and another for a potential coaching position at Florida,[30] he declined both.[31] During this same time he was a tire salesman[31] and District Commissioner of the National semi-pro Baseball Congress.[32]

World War II

During the run-up to the United States' participation in

Vella Lavella Island;[11][33][34][35] some sources also say it was four,[13] with a fifth as probable.[36]

Mayberry last radioed as he piloted his aircraft over a stretch of water between two Solomon Islands,[11] and was shot down near Bougainville Island on August 30.[33] He was subsequently captured by Japanese forces, and died in a Japanese prisoner of war camp at Rabaul in New Britain of Papua New Guinea sometime after September 6, 1943.[9][37] Japanese records indicate that he died in an Allied air raid on March 5, 1944, but other records suggest he was executed by the Japanese at an earlier date. He was buried at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.[8]

Awards and decorations

A light blue ribbon with five white five pointed stars
Bronze star
Bronze star
Badge
Naval Aviator Badge
1st row Distinguished Flying Cross Purple Heart
2nd row
Navy Presidential Unit Citation
 Prisoner of War Medal American Defense Service Medal
3rd row American Campaign Medal
service stars
World War II Victory Medal

Posthumous honors

Mayberry was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great." He was also inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 1964.

Gator alumni from Daytona Beach created an athletic scholarship in his honor.[38]

See also

  • List of University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame members

Notes

  1. ^ His eleven interceptions were a school record until it was broken by Bruce Bennett in 1965.[5]
  2. ^ White led the country with 1,121 rushing yards.[17]

References

  1. ^ Jim Folsom (August 5, 2014). "Athletes Who Played Their Part in WWII". Archived from the original on May 29, 2015.
  2. Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ John Wilds (September 14, 1937). "Josh Cody Builds For Next Season". The Evening Independent.
  4. Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ a b c University of Florida, p. 165
  6. ^ University of Florida, p. 110
  7. ^ Martin 2006, p. 23
  8. ^ a b c Joe Williams (May 30, 2013). "Marine Corps League hosts 'Fallen Heroes' author". news-journalonline.com. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  9. ^ a b c "Norm Carlson Looks Back..- World War II Hero". floridagators.com. October 5, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  10. ^ Couch 2001, p. 51
  11. ^ a b c "High Scorer Missing". Sigma Phi Epsilon Journal: 146–147. February 1944.
  12. ^ University of Florida, pp. 160, 186
  13. ^ a b c Carlson 2007, p. 46
  14. ^ "Gators Outplay Carolina Boys On Rain-Soaked Field". The Palm Beach Post. October 10, 1936.
  15. ^ "Stanhill Runs 100 Yards Down Field To Score". St. Petersburg Times. November 15, 1936.
  16. ^ University of Florida, p. 92
  17. ^ MacCambridge 2005, p. 117
  18. ^ Frank S. Wright (October 19, 1937). "Writers, Coaches Praise Mayberry, Gator Captain, As All-American Material". Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
  19. Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  20. ^ McEwen 1974, p. 113
  21. ^ John Wilds (November 7, 1937). "Old Supremacy of Bulldogs Is Brought To End". Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
  22. ^ "6. Walter Mayberry". jacksonville.com. Archived from the original on September 10, 2016.
  23. ^ Cohen 1995, p. 31
  24. Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  25. Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  26. ^ Maxwell Stiles (February 1938). "The 1937 All-Sig Ep Football Team". Sigma Phi Epsilon Journal: 192–195.
  27. Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  28. ^ "1938 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  29. ^ a b "Tiger Mayberry May Play With Cleveland Rams". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. December 11, 1937.
  30. Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  31. ^
    Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  32. Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  33. ^ a b Gamble 2013, pp. 421–422
  34. ^ "Walter Mayberry of Football Fame Listed As Missing". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. September 7, 1943.
  35. ^ "Walt Mayberry, Ex-Gator Grid Star Missing". St. Petersburg Times. September 10, 1943.
  36. ^ "Ex-Gridster Missing". Marine Corps Chevron. Vol. 3, no. 39. September 30, 1944. Archived from the original on December 6, 2016.
  37. ^ Robbie Andreu (July 26, 2006). "No. 39 Walter Mayberry". gainesville.com. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  38. ^ Bernard Kahn (May 14, 1946). "U. of Florida Alumni Create W. Mayberry Scholarship". Daytona Beach Morning Journal.

Books

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