Jake Gaither
Item
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Title
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Jake Gaither
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Alternative Title
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Alonzo S. "Jake" Gaither
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Birth Date
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April 11, 1903
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Transition Date
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February 18, 1998
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Category
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Athletics
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Affiliation to FAMU
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Football Coach
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Life at FAMU
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Gaither served as head coach of the FAMC Rattlers from 1945 to 1969, a historic period known as the “Gaither Era.” Guided by his famous philosophy that players should be “mobile, agile, and hostile,” he compiled 203 wins, 36 losses, and four ties. His .844 winning percentage was the highest among college coaches of his time, Black or white, with at least 200 victories. His teams won 18 conference championships and six Black college national championships. From 1953 to 1962, the Rattlers achieved an outstanding record of 87 wins, seven losses, and one tie.
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Life Bio
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Born in Dayton, Tennessee, and became one of college football’s most respected coaches. An All-Conference end at Knoxville College, he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1927 and a master’s degree from Ohio State University in 1937. That same year, he joined Florida A&M College as an assistant football coach.
Gaither served as head coach of the FAMC Rattlers from 1945 to 1969, a historic period known as the “Gaither Era.” Guided by his famous philosophy that players should be “mobile, agile, and hostile,” he compiled 203 wins, 36 losses, and four ties. His .844 winning percentage was the highest among college coaches of his time, Black or white, with at least 200 victories. His teams won 18 conference championships and six Black college national championships. From 1953 to 1962, the Rattlers achieved an outstanding record of 87 wins, seven losses, and one tie.
Forty-two of “Jake’s Boys” advanced to the National Football League, including Bob Hayes, Willie Galimore, Ken Riley, and Robert Paremore. Gaither also wrote The Split Line T in 1963 and served on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness. In 1975, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and received honors from the Walter Camp Foundation and the American Football Coaches Association. Gaither retired from FAMU in 1973 and died in Tallahassee at age 90.
A FAMU gymnasium, park, golf course, recreation center, street, and neighborhood bear his name. His longtime home at 212 Young Street is preserved as a memorial to his extraordinary impact on FAMU, Tallahassee, and college football.
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Collection Number
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MS_0002
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Artifact Dimensions
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L x W: 15.38 x 13in (39.05 x 33.02cm)
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Medium
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Photographs
