Jake Gaither facts for kids
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 11, 1903 Dayton, Tennessee |
| Died | February 18, 1994 (aged 90) Tallahassee, Florida |
| Playing career | |
| ?–1927 | Knoxville |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1937–1944 | Florida A&M (assistant) |
| 1945–1969 | Florida A&M |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1945–1973 | Florida A&M |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 204–36–4 (.844) |
| Bowls | 12–13–1 (.481) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
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| Awards | |
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| College Football Hall of Fame Inducted in 1975 (profile) |
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Alonzo Smith "Jake" Gaither (born April 11, 1903 – died February 18, 1994) was a famous American football coach and sports leader. He was the head football coach at Florida A&M University (FAMU) for 25 years, from 1945 to 1969. He had an amazing record of 204 wins, 36 losses, and 4 ties. This makes his winning record one of the best in college football history!
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jake Gaither was born in 1903 in Dayton, Tennessee. His father was a preacher, and Jake first thought he would become one too. He played football as an "end" at Knoxville College and graduated in 1927. After his father passed away, Jake became a high school football coach to help his family. He later earned a master's degree from Ohio State University in 1937.
Coaching Career at FAMU
Jake Gaither started as an assistant coach at Florida A&M College for Negroes (as it was known then) in 1937. The FAMU Rattlers football team had a perfect season that year, winning all 8 games. They also won their first black college football national championship. The team won the national title again in 1942.
The head coach left for military service in 1943. After a couple of tough years for the football program, Gaither was hired as the head coach for Florida A&M in 1945. Some say the college president couldn't find anyone else to take the job, but Gaither proved to be the perfect choice!
_in_the_locker_room_with_his_Florida_Agricultural_and_Mechanical_University_(FAMU)_football_team.jpg)
Motivating His Players
Gaither worked very hard to inspire his players. He often said, "I like my boys to be agile, mobile, and hostile." People even say he would hide an onion in his handkerchief to help him cry during his pre-game pep talks! He was very good at finding talented players. During the time of Jim Crow laws (when racial segregation was common), he could choose the best black high school players in Florida. By the 1960s, he didn't even need to recruit players from outside the state.
Gaither was truly dedicated to his job. After he retired, he told his biographer, "I run into so many people who have no deep sense of morals—people who got a price tag on them, who'd sell their soul. I want to find the man who has no price tag on him. I'm not for sale."
Innovations and Milestones
In the late 1950s, Gaither started an annual coaching clinic at FAMU. He invited famous college coaches like Paul "Bear" Bryant, Frank Broyles, Darrell Royal, Woody Hayes, and Adolph Rupp to teach at these clinics.
In 1963, Gaither introduced the Split-T formation in football. This new strategy was soon used by many other colleges. In 1969, Florida A&M played against the University of Tampa Spartans. FAMU won 34–28. This was a very important game because it was the first football game in the Southern United States between a white college and a historically black college.
Beyond Football
In his early years as a football coach, Gaither also coached basketball and track. Later, he became the Director of Athletics and the Chairman of the Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation at FAMU. He kept these jobs even after he stopped coaching football, until he retired from teaching in 1973.
Legacy and Recognition
When Jake Gaither retired from coaching in 1969, his Florida A&M teams had an incredible record of 204 wins, 36 losses, and 4 ties. This means they won 84.4% of their games!
Many of his players went on to achieve great things:
- 36 players from his teams were named All-Americans.
- 42 players continued their careers in the National Football League (NFL).
Gaither received many awards for his amazing work:
- He was named Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Decade.
- He was named College Division Coach of the Year in 1962.
- He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1975.
- He also received the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award in 1975 and the Walter Camp Man of the Year award in 1974.
Since 1978, the Jake Gaither Trophy has been given each year to the best Black college football player. The Jake Gaither Gymnasium is located on the FAMU campus, named in his honor.
Jake Gaither passed away in Tallahassee, Florida in 1994. The Jake Gaither House, where he lived, is now a cultural center.
Images for kids
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Coach Jake Gaither (standing, middle, white shirt with whistle) in the locker room with his Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) football team: Tallahassee, Florida, 1953
