Walker Reynolds Tichenor

Walker Reynolds "Tick" Tichenor (January 26, 1877 – November 16, 1935) was a college football player and coach. Tichenor was the quarterback for John Heisman's Auburn Tigers of Auburn University and for the Georgia Bulldogs of the University of Georgia. As a player, Tichenor was one of the all-time best little men of the sport, weighing only 116 pounds.^[1] He was also an official. One publication called him the "Emergency Football Man of the South." "Whenever a coach is taken sick, Tichenor is called upon to take his place. Whenever an emergency official is needed, Tich comes to the rescue."^[2]

Early years

Walker Reynolds Tichenor was born on January 26, 1877 in Alpine, Alabama,^[3] the only son of Isaac Taylor Tichenor and Eppie Reynolds.^[4] His father Isaac was a pastor and President of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama, now known as Auburn University. Walker lived in Auburn until he was four years old, then moved to Atlanta. He played and watched baseball from a young age.^[3]

College football

Tichenor at Auburn.

Auburn

Tichenor enrolled at Auburn University in 1893, and was a member of Kappa Alpha. He was captain of its 1896 Auburn Tigers football team.

1895

Tichenor once executed a "hidden ball trick" in the 1895 game against Vanderbilt as Auburn seemed to run a revolving wedge.^[5][6] Vanderbilt still won however, 9 to 6; the first time in the history of southern football that a field goal decided a game.^[7] "Billy" Williams recalled:^[8]

I was playing left half for Auburn and Tichenor was quarterback. We were on Vandy's 15-yard line and had the ball in our possession. Tich passed the ball to me; I raised his jersey and hid the ball under it, at the same time dashing toward our right end, protected by several members of the Auburn team...Vandy thought I had the ball. Tich journeyed around his own left and went over the Vanderbilt's goal line. The first time the Vandy players knew Tich had the ball and had made a touchdown was when they saw him pulling the ball from under his jersey.

Tichenor described the nature of the play as follows:^[7]

"The play was simply this. When the ball was snapped it went to a halfback. The play was closely massed and well screened. The halfback then thrust the ball under the back of my jersey. Then he would crash into the line. After the play I simply trotted away to a touchdown.

1896

The Georgia–Auburn game of 1896 was a 12 to 6 victory by Georgia to finish its first undefeated season under Pop Warner. The game featured Tichenor's brilliant punt returns.^[9] Tichenor once said of the game that he had been sprawled on the ground, when a big Georgia lineman jumped at him, knees first, with Tichenor rolling out of the way just in time. "The fellow was very polite," Tichenor said. "We both got up and he apologized very profusely for having missed me."^[9] Tichenor later transferred to Georgia to attend law school.^[10] The Atlanta Journal remarked "He is a small man, pale-faced and slight. He doesn't weigh over 120 pounds with all his hair and padding. His voice is penetrating. He is never silent . . . He guys, jeers, and encourages his team . . . or rushes in and makes a brilliant dash himself. It is worth a trip to Athens to hear him talk and see him play."^[11]

University of Georgia

Tichenor transferred to the University of Georgia, and was the quarterback when Richard Von Albade Gammon met his death.^[12] "Von" had been quarterback the year before, and moved to fullback upon Tichenor's arrival. Tichenor played third base on the baseball team.

Attorney

After football Tichenor was an attorney in Atlanta.

College basketball

Tichenor was the timekeeper for every Southern Conference basketball tournament from 1921 to 1932.^[10] Tichenor once used a pistol to end a game, "In all the clamor about the place it is impossible to pipe up on a whistle or horn to end the game. So they ended with a pistol shot. In the first tournament held Tick Tichnor (sic) was timing a game in which Georgia was playing. The rival team led by one point as the gun boomed.

There was a John Law in the place and he came galloping over and seized Tick Tichnor, who still held the smoking rod in one hand, "I arrest you," he said, "for shooting in a public place."

The copper was a large one and he held the rather slight Tick Tichnor in a firm grasp. What made it worse was that Mr. H.J. Stegeman, the Georgia coach, felt that he had been severely wounded by the gun going off with is team one point behind. So he charged that Mr. Tichenor had shot him in the leg.

It was some time before Mr. Al Doonan and Coach W.A. Alexander could persuade the copper that it was alright to have a man flourish his artillery and let it boom all over the place."^[13]

Death

Tichenor died on November 16, 1935 at his home in rural Decatur, Georgia. His health had been failing since 1929 when he was stricken ill officiating the Georgia–Yale game in Athens.^[14]

References

See also

• Chigger Browne

External links

• Walker Reynolds Tichenor at Find a Grave