Gator Memories - 1952 Florida vs Georgia
Wednesday, January 13, 2010 | Football
Feature by Norm Carlson
When Florida linebacker Arlen Jumper planted his elbow into the nose of Georgia All-SEC end Harry Babcock early in the first quarter of the 1952 Gator-Bulldog football game in Jacksonville you knew this was certainly an intense rivalry.
Babcock was the finest receiver in the SEC, catching throws from quarterback Zeke Bratkowski, who led the conference in passing in an offense that was clearly the best in the league. Jumper was a tough, undersized linebacker at 5-11, 185 pounds. He was a cowboy from Waco, Texas.
Babcock retaliated, of course, and both players were thrown out of the game. Jumper recalls that he spent the rest of the afternoon on the Gator team bus, listening to Otis Boggs call the game on the UF football network.
Georgia was arguably the best team in the SEC and the league-leading Bulldogs were heavily favored in the game. Without Babcock, who was described by Bulldog head coach Wally Butts as “the finest all-around end I have seen in my 15 years in the league,” it became a long afternoon for the UGA offense.
Georgia was blanked that day by Florida's pass rush, led by All-America tackle Charlie LaPradd, All-SEC guard Joe D'Agostino and a ball-hawking defense that produced interceptions by Larry Scott, Jack Nichols and Mikey Kelley.
Bratkowski finished the day with only 11 completions in 29 attempts for 105 yards to go along with the three interceptions.
Rick Casares, one of the all-time great players at Florida, ran for 108 yards on 27 carries and two touchdowns and also kicked a 30-yard field goal. Buford Long added 116 yards on 10 attempts, one of them a brilliant 77-yard romp through and around the Bulldogs.
Quarterback Doug Dickey scored one touchdown and directed the offense in the 30-0 demolition of the Dawgs. The final TD was scored after Dickey and the other starters were removed in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Fred Robinson threw an 11-yard pass to Len Balas for the final margin and the most points Florida had scored against Georgia in the series.
Florida fans, even in those pre-Jacksonville Landing days, had a grand time cavorting around downtown after the game. As a first time observer of this classic, I thought this was the way it was supposed to be, but that isn't always the case in this great rivalry.
