Phoney Smith
| Mercer Bears | |
|---|---|
| Position | Halfback |
| Class | Graduate |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | June 26, 1905 Fayetteville, Tennessee |
| Died: | October 27, 1985 (aged 80) Palm Beach County, Florida |
| Career history | |
| College | Mercer (1925–1927) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Joseph Farrar "Phoney" Smith[1] (June 26, 1905 – October 27, 1985) was a college football player and high school coach and athletic director.
Mercer University
"Phoney" was a prominent halfback for the Mercer Baptists of Mercer University. His brother was Crook Smith. He was elected to the Mercer Athletics Hall of Fame in 1971,[2] and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1969.[3] Smith was a teammate of later Georgia coach Wally Butts and played for coach Bernie Moore.[4]
1927
Smith was selected All-Southern in 1927.[5] called by one writer "the best athlete who ever put on a Mercer uniform."[6] Smith was the first Southern player to cross the goal line against the "dream and wonder" team of Georgia on a 95-yard kickoff.[7]
Semi pro ball
In the late 1920s, he went on to play semi-pro football with the Ironton Tanks in Ironton, Ohio, a team that was the forerunner of the Cleveland Browns.[3][7][8]
South Broward
Smith was a coach and athletic director at South Broward High School, where he taught for more than 20 years.[3]
See also
References
- ^ James C. Bryant. A Gift for Giving: The Story of Lamar RIch Plunkett. p. 51.
- ^ "Mercer Athletics Hall of Fame".
- ^ a b c "`Phoney` Smith, Broward Coach For 2 Decades". October 29, 1985.
- ^ Jon Nelson. A History of College Football In Georgia:Glory on the Gridiron. p. 29.
- ^ "Spears Given Highest Vote in Selection". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. November 27, 1927.
- ^ "Phoney Gallops In Final Battle". Mercer Cluster. November 11, 1927.
- ^ a b Garbin, Patrick (2008). About them Dawgs!: Georgia football's memorable teams and players. United States: Scarecrow Press. pp. 43, 48. ISBN 978-0-8108-6040-7.
- ^ Bryant, James C. (1993). A gift for giving: the story of Lamar Rich Plunkett. United States: Mercer University Press. p. 51. ISBN 0-86554-430-1.