1923 College Football All-Southern Team
The 1923 College Football All-Southern Team consists of American football players selected to the College Football All-Southern Teams selected by various organizations in 1923. Vanderbilt won the Southern championship, its last conference title to date. Florida upset previously undefeated Alabama on the last week of play.
Composite eleven
The composite All-Southern eleven put out by the Atlanta Journal who received gold medals included:
- Joe Bennett, tackle for Georgia, later a Coca Cola executive. "Prior to the 1960s, Bennett is likely Georgia's most outstanding tackle."[1]
- Lynn Bomar, end for Vanderbilt, the last southern player selected first-team All-American by Walter Camp. He played with the New York Giants in their inaugural season and was later warden of Tennessee State Prison. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1956.
- Grant Gillis, quarterback for Alabama, played professional baseball for the Washington Senators and Boston Red Sox.
- Goldy Goldstein, guard for Florida, one of the first Jews to ever play for the Gators. He played professionally for the Newark Bears, and was later an attorney.
- Everett E. Kelly, guard for Vanderbilt, known as "Tuck." After a bitterly fought loss to national champion Michigan on Ferry Field, the referee McDonald approached Kelly and told him, "You are the first individual I've complimented after a game in which I officiated, but I want to tell you that I never saw a better guard than you are."[2]
- Ark Newton, halfback for Florida. His punts, included one of at least 60 yards, helped the Gators in their 16 to 6 upset victory over previously undefeated Alabama.[3]
- Clyde Propst, center for Alabama, known as "Shorty." He later coached, once head coach at Howard and Southwestern.
- Gil Reese, halfback for Vanderbilt, the team's leading scorer who scored nine touchdowns in two weeks in victories over Tennessee and Georgia by a combined 86–14.
- Robbie Robinson, tackle and captain for Florida. On the Gators' upset of previously undefeated Alabama, he said "Psychology did the trick and turned the tables on the Crimson, for the word went the rounds on the campus that "they can't do it"'–referring to Alabama's chances of walking on the Florida team. He also remarked on the many goal line stands by Florida.[4]
- Henry Wakefield, end for Vanderbilt, known as "Hek." After the loss to Michigan opposing coach Fielding Yost said "I never saw a greater exhibition of end play," referring to Wakefield.[5] The Kingsport Times reported that governor Austin Peay had given Hek praise for his play that day.[6]
- Doug Wycoff, fullback for Georgia Tech, played professionally including with the Newark Bears.
Composite overview
Doug Wycoff received the most votes of any composite selection.
Name | Position | School | First-team selections |
---|---|---|---|
Doug Wycoff | Fullback | Georgia Tech | 30 |
Gil Reese | Halfback | Vanderbilt | 25 |
Lynn Bomar | End | Vanderbilt | 23 |
Hek Wakefield | End | Vanderbilt | 19 |
Joe Bennett | Tackle | Georgia | 17 |
Shorty Propst | Center | Alabama | 15 |
Goldy Goldstein | Guard | Florida | 14 |
Tuck Kelly | Guard | Vanderbilt | 14 |
Ark Newton | Halfback | Florida | 13 |
Rip Reagan | Guard | Auburn | 11 |
Al Clemens | End | Alabama | 10 |
Robbie Robinson | Tackle | Florida | 10 |
John Staton | End | Georgia Tech | 9 |
Bob Rives | Tackle | Vanderbilt | 9 |
Charlie Barbour | Tackle | VMI | 8 |
Claire Frye | Center | Georgia Tech | 8 |
Grant Gillis | Quarterback | Alabama | 8 |
Fats Lawrence | Guard | Auburn | 6 |
All-Southerns of 1923
Ends
- Lynn Bomar*, Vanderbilt (College Football Hall of Fame) (C, MB, MN-2)
- Hek Wakefield, Vanderbilt (C, MT)
- Al Clemens, Alabama (C)
- John Staton, Georgia Tech, (C, MN-2)
- Crook Smith, Mercer (MT)
Tackles
- Joe Bennett, Georgia (C, MT, MN-2)
- Robbie Robinson, Florida (C)
- Bob Rives, Vanderbilt (C, MT)
- Charlie Barbour, VMI (C)
- Red Simmons, Mercer (MN-2)
Guards
- Goldy Goldstein, Florida (C)
- Tuck Kelly, Vanderbilt (C)
- Rip Reagan, Auburn, (C, MT)
- Mike Herndon, Mercer (MT)
- Tom McCracken, VMI (MN-2)
- F. McConnell, Georgia Tech (MN-2)
Centers
- Shorty Propst, Alabama (C)
- Claire Frye, Georgia Tech (C, MN-2)
- Fats Lawrence, Auburn (C)
- Ed Kubale, Centre (MT)
Quarterbacks
- Grant Gillis, Alabama (C)
- Herb Covington, Centre (MT)
- Edgar C. Jones, Florida (MN-2)
Halfbacks
- Gil Reese, Vanderbilt (C, MT)
- Ark Newton, Florida (C, MT, MN-2)
- Adrian Maurer, Oglethorpe (MN-2)
Fullbacks
- Doug Wycoff, Georgia Tech (C, MT)
- Pooley Hubert, Alabama (College Football Hall of Fame) (MN-2)
Key
Bold = Composite selection
* = Consensus All-American
C = received votes for the composite All-Southern eleven put out by the Atlanta Journal. The composite eleven received gold medals.[7] Votes for multiple positions have been combined under the one which received the most.
MT = selected by the Macon Telegraph.[8]
MN = selected by Julian Leggett of the Macon News.[8]
See also
References
- ↑ Patrick Garbin. About Them Dawgs!: Georgia Football's Memorable Teams and Players. p. 30.
- ↑ "Vandy Captain Gets High Rating In South". Modesto Evening News. December 22, 1923.
- ↑ "Gators Trounce Alabama In Titular Grid Contest". The Evening Independent. November 30, 1923.
- ↑ Frank Rising (November 14, 1925). "Snipes Do Run And Sport Dope Flows". p. 9.
- ↑ Russell, Fred, and Maxwell Edward Benson. Fifty Years of Vanderbilt Football. Nashville, TN, 1938, p. 42, 67
- ↑ "Wakefield Star On Vandy Team". The Kingsport Times. November 27, 1923.
- ↑ "All Star Eleven To Be Awarded By Atlanta Paper". Times-Picayune. December 9, 1923.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "The Telegraph's All-Southern". Mercer Cluster. December 7, 1923. pp. 3; 6.
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