Georgia Bulldogs Countdown to Kickoff: 39 Days
39 days until the ball is on tee for the Georgia Bulldogs, and today, we’re looking back on the ‘39 season to celebrate the arrival of the Wally Butts era and what would be the first National Championship for the program.
Joel Hunt put in a single year in Athens, replacing head coach and athletic director Harry Mehre after his ten year stint with the Bulldogs.
But he would help to usher in Butts’ tenure by hiring him as offensive coordinator for the Bulldogs.
Following Hunt’s brief career with Georgia, Butts would take over in 1939 and take the Bulldogs to unprecedented heights in some of America’s toughest times.
After spending ten years in the high school ranks and losing only ten games throughout the course, the Mercer alum would receive his first crack at the collegiate ranks under Hunt.
In his first season, the results were less than ideal, with the Dawgs going 5-6 (though they did secure one of the wins against the Florida Gators).
Over his next 21 years at the helm in Athens, Butts would win the SEC four times, be the conference coach of the year three times, and help the Bulldogs secure one of their three National Championship in 1942.
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Under his watch, such enduring legends as Charley Trippi, Heisman trophy winner Frank Sinkwich, and Fran Tarkenton would all go through the university and etch their names in Bulldogs’ lore.
Bill Hartman, among many others during his time, would serve on his initial coaching staff.
1942 would be the height of his success in Athens, though, as the Bulldogs would be named National Champions. Our man Wes Blankenship looked back on that run just recently.
A native of Milledgeville, Georgia, ‘The Little Round Man’ would go on to lead the Bulldogs to 140 wins in his career and serve as the athletic director in Athens until 1963.
The UGA Special Collection Library delivered a fine retrospective on his life and career here, summing it up well with a nod to Butts’ life as a family man:
“Wally Butts was married to Winifred Taylor and together they had three children, Fay, Jean, and Nancy. Though he was known to be a fierce taskmaster on the field, Butts was, according to his daughter Jean, a “pussycat around the house”. He would often indulge neighborhood children with treats of ice cream and was especially devoted to his dog, Rip. A day after entertaining his visiting grandchildren with games, Wally Butts passed away from a heart attack suffered after taking a walk. He is buried in Oconee Hill Cemetery, behind the stadium that saw his greatest days on the gridiron”
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