Bill Middlekauff

Willis William "Bill" Middlekauff (December 28, 1904 – September 1957) was an American college football player, attorney, boxer, and wrestler.[1]

Bill Middlekauff
Middlekauff c. 1927
Florida Gators
PositionFullback
ClassGraduate
MajorLaw
Career history
CollegeFlorida (1923–1924; 1926–1927)
Personal information
Born:(1904-12-28)December 28, 1904
Miami, Florida
Died:September 1957
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight200 lb (91 kg)
Career highlights and awards

University of Florida

Middlekauff from 1922–25 and in 1927 was a member of the University of Florida swimming, track and boxing teams.[2] He was often called "Big Bill." At UF he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega.[2][3]

Middlekauff in 1923.

Football

Middlekauff was a prominent fullback for coach James Van Fleet and coach Tom Sebring's Florida Gators football team of the University of Florida from 1923 to 1924, and 1926 to 1927. One accounts recalls he "rams a line and can back one up to perfection."[4] Jeff Moshier called him Florida's greatest fullback.[5] In 1927, the Florida Alumnus, the official organ of the Florida Alumni, agreed.[6] In his first season on the freshman team, the team won the southern crown for freshmen squads.[7]

1924

In the 14–7 loss to Army, Middlekauff broke his left leg on what coach Van Fleet argued was an uncalled clipping penalty.[8] Middlekauff had only just returned to the team.[9]

1926

Middlekauff returned in 1926.[10]

1927

He was captain of the team in 1927, elected after the regular captain Frank Oosterhoudt was declared ineligible.[11][12] The season started poorly including an 0–12 upset to Davidson before Middlekauff was elected captain, and was much better afterwards.[12] Aside from Davidson the Gators lost only to Jack McDowall's SoCon champion NC State Wolfpack and the Georgia Bulldogs' "dream and wonder team." Against Georgia he aggravated an injury.[13] He was the only player of the Gators selected All-Southern that year.[14] In an all-star game of Pacific Coast stars against Southern stars hampered by rain, Middlekauff got the only score of the game in an 8–0 victory for the South.[2]

Boxing

After practicing law in Miami for a short time, Middlekauff was a professional boxer, scoring several knockouts.[2][15][16][17] In a professional boxing career as a heavyweight, he had record of 6 Wins (5 by knockout) 7 Losses (5 by knockout) and 1 Draw in 14 bouts.

Wrestling

Middlekauff also wrestled professionally[15][18][19][20] from 1930 to 1946. He once met former Georgia Tech fullback Doug Wycoff in a match, the main event at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium for Georgia Championship Wrestling promoter Henry Weber.[21] Wycoff won the contest.[22]

One account reads "Bill has a habit of hurling his 235 pounds of brawn at his rival to bring him down almost exactly as he did in blocking a would-be tackler out of the play during his football days."[23]

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See also

References
  1. Who's who in American Sports. 1928. p. 560. Retrieved March 15, 2015 – via archive.org.
  2. "The Undergraduates". The Palm of Alpha Tau Omega: 75, 81, 229. Retrieved March 15, 2015 – via archive.org.
  3. "All-Southern Eleven Beats West's Representatives On Rain-Soaked Grid, 8 to 0". Santa Ana Register. December 27, 1927. p. 8. Retrieved March 4, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Horace C. Renegar (December 22, 1927). "Bama Star Is Captain Of Eleven". The Bismarck Tribune. p. 12. Retrieved March 15, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Jeff Moshier (November 22, 1930). "Playing Square". The Evening Independent.
  6. "Writer Picks All-Time Gator Eleven, Going Back 10 Years To Name Taylor And Storter". The Evening Independent. October 14, 1927. p. 5A.
  7. Associated Press (December 1, 1922). "Florida Freshmen Claim The Crown". p. 6. Retrieved February 5, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. McEwen, Tom, The Gators: A Story of Florida Football, The Strode Publishers, Huntsville, Alabama (1974). ISBN 0-87397-025-X.
  9. "Ark Will Be All Set Before Tourney Starts". Miami Tribune. November 4, 1924. p. 7. Retrieved January 25, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Middlekauff Cheers Gator Football Men". St. Petersburg Times. September 17, 1926.
  11. "Crimson Tide Big Favorite Over Florida". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. November 11, 1927. Retrieved March 15, 2015 – via Google news.
  12. "Grid Star Gets Good Study Mars". The Ogden Standard-Examiner. November 20, 1927. p. 17. Retrieved March 15, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "6 Gators Will Close Careers At University". St. Petersburg Times. November 30, 1927.
  14. "Spears Given Highest Vote in Selection". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. November 27, 1927. Retrieved March 15, 2015 – via Google news.
  15. "Meets Hesslyn On Mat Here". Kingsport Times. December 18, 1934. p. 2. Retrieved March 15, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Florida Grid Star Joins Pro Boxers". The Bismarck Tribune. April 23, 1928. p. 6. Retrieved March 15, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Bill Middlekauff".
  18. Old Yearbook Filled with Future Leaders. Ocala Star Banner. October 17, 1992.
  19. "Marvin Knocks out Kelly To Win Main Event Match". Monroe News. October 18, 1935.
  20. "Middlekauff Next Foe For Rollo At Armory". The Evening Independent. November 17, 1938. Retrieved March 15, 2015 – via Google news.
  21. "Football Rivals To Meet on Mat". The Evening Independent. February 24, 1936. Retrieved March 15, 2015 – via Google news.
  22. "Wyckoff Meets Dick Powell In Mat Headliner". The Evening Independent. March 11, 1936. Retrieved March 15, 2015 – via Google news.
  23. "Next Bouts of Massacre Type Here". The Bee. February 4, 1935. p. 8. Retrieved January 27, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
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