J. Rex Farrior

J. Rex Farrior
Sport(s) Baseball, football
Biographical details
Born (1896-10-05)October 5, 1896
Chipley, Florida
Died January 17, 1993(1993-01-17) (aged 96)
Tampa, Florida
Playing career
1913–1917 Florida
Position(s) Guard/Center (football)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Baseball
1924 Florida
Football
1920-1922 Gainesville High School
1923 Florida (freshmen)
Head coaching record
Overall 5–14 (.263)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame
Florida Sports Hall of Fame
Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award (1986)

Jewel Rex Farrior, Sr. (October 5, 1896 – January 17, 1993) was a college football and baseball player and coach for the Florida Gators of the University of Florida,[1] as well as a lawyer. He became a founding partner in a prominent Tampa-based law firm, and remained one of the biggest boosters of the Gators sports program until his death.

Early years

Jewel Rex Farrior was born October 5, 1896 in Chipley, Florida to Joseph R. Farrior and Gussie Brown.[2] His father was a physician.

Farrior attended Hillsborough High School in Tampa, where he played football and baseball, graduating in 1913. Future Gator teammate Rammy Ramsdell was in the same class.

University of Florida

Farrior is the namesake of Farrior Hall on the UF campus.[3]

Football

Farrior was a prominent guard and center for the Florida Gators football team from 1913 to 1916.[1][4] His first ever game was the 1440 victory over the Florida Southern Moccasins.

Farrior was captain of the football team in his senior year. In that season the Gators lost all their games, suffering multiple injures and transfers, requiring Farrior to shift to fullback. He broke his ankle that year in the Indiana game.[5] A member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity at UF, the Kappa Alpha Journal reads "J. Rex Farrior of the University of Florida has been for several seasons the 'Gators most brilliant performer."[6]

1920 Gainesville High football team. Farrior is back left.

He was nominated though not selected for an Associated Press All-Time Southeast 1869-1919 era team.[7] As a football player, he was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame. The "Rex Farrior Award" was once given to the most "team-oriented" player.[8] Originally the award was given to the defensive lineman who showed the most effort.[9]

Return to UF and coaching

Returning to UF in 1921 after serving in World War I[10] to earn his law degree, Farrior graduated in 1924.[3]

Gainesville High

From 1920 to 1922, Farrior coached the Gainesville High School football team.

Florida

A picture of the 1924 baseball team.

He coached the 1924 baseball team. In his one season the team post a 5–14–0 record.

Cigar Bowl

Farrior was chairman of the selection committee for the Cigar Bowl.[11]

High school coach

Farrior held the distinction of coaching two College Football Hall of Fame members in their high school days: Dale Van Sickel and Jack McDowall.[1]

Law practice

Farrior became a partner in Shackleford and Farrior, which evolved into one of Tampa's largest law firms.[1][12] Law partner Bob Shackleford was a former Florida Gator quarterback. Farrior was elected president of the Florida Bar in 1975.[3][13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Rex Farrior".
  2. Database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7R3-R9K : accessed 24 June 2015), Jewel Rex Farrior, 05 Oct 1896; citing Chipley, Washington, Florida, reference ; FHL microfilm 978,727.
  3. 1 2 3 "Farrior Hall".
  4. 2014 Florida Gators Football Media Guide, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 74, 75, 76–86, 87–90, 91–93, 94, 95–96, 98–106, 107–116, 141–144, 146–159, 160, 171–175, 176–183 (2014). Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  5. "Florida Put Out 14-3, by Stiehm Men". The Indianapolis Star. November 19, 1916. p. 33. Retrieved August 23, 2015 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "[No title]". Kappa Alpha Journal 34 (3): 43. 1918.
  7. "U-T Greats On All-Time Southeast Team". Kingsport Post. July 31, 1969.
  8. "Football Team Awards Announced at Banquet". February 11, 2002.
  9. "UF Roundup". Gainesville Sun. February 24, 1993.
  10. "Jewel Rex Farrior".
  11. "Cyclones, Drake Among Eyed For Cigar Bowl". October 26, 1949. p. 9. Retrieved June 29, 2015 via Newspapers.com.
  12. https://books.google.com/books?id=kb__1mTAB0IC&pg=PA126&lpg=PA126#v=onepage&q&f=false
  13. The Florida Bar, History, List of Past Presidents. Retrieved July 7, 2015.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, December 27, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.