Phoney Smith
Mercer Bears
PositionHalfback
ClassGraduate
Personal information
Born:(1905-06-26)June 26, 1905
Fayetteville, Tennessee
Died:October 27, 1985(1985-10-27) (aged 80)
Palm Beach County, Florida
Career history
CollegeMercer (1925–1927)
Career highlights and awards
  • All-Southern (1927)
  • Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
  • Mercer Athletics Hall of Fame
  • Mercer's all-time leading scorer (176 points)

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

  1. ↑ James C. Bryant (1993). A Gift for Giving: The Story of Lamar RIch Plunkett. p. 51. ISBN 9780865544307.
  2. ↑ "Mercer Athletics Hall of Fame".
  3. 1 2 3 "'Phoney' Smith, Broward Coach For 2 Decades". October 29, 1985.
  4. ↑ Jon Nelson (July 2012). A History of College Football In Georgia:Glory on the Gridiron. p. 29. ISBN 9781614236139.
  5. ↑ "Spears Given Highest Vote in Selection". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. November 27, 1927.
  6. ↑ "Phoney Gallops In Final Battle". Mercer Cluster. November 11, 1927.
  7. 1 2 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.
  8. ↑ 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. phoney smith mercer.
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