RECOGNIZING RABBIT: For what it’s worth, I’m “big” on giving credit where credit is due, especially when evidence supports as much. For example, Bob McWhorter (1910-1913) is Georgia’s all-time leader in career touchdowns scored with 61; however, the school doesn’t recognize McWhorter’s scores because of “insufficient documentation.”
But, what is “sufficient” documentation?
Who knows, because apparently the two or three newspapers covering the games at the time, and the couple of proofs of evidence that have popped up since—all of which agree McWhorter scored 61 touchdowns—were then, and are now not “sufficient.”
Appropriate considering this Saturday’s opponent, here’s perhaps an ever better example:
Against Kentucky in 1945, Georgia routed the Wildcats, 48-6. The star of the game was a junior from Palatka, Fla., Charles “Rabbit” Smith, who was filling the role of the Bulldogs’ primary halfback until the return of Charley Trippi from military service. Against Kentucky, Smith remarkably rushed for 222 yards and four touchdowns on just 13 carries.
Smith had somewhat of a distinguished tenure at Georgia from 1943 through 1946. He remains the only Bulldogs player in history to score at least eight touchdowns rushing and receiving for a career, and his four touchdowns scored against Kentucky in ’45 were recognized as the school record (or, tied for) until broken by Robert Edwards 50 years later with five touchdowns against South Carolina in 1995. However, Rabbit’s 222 yards against the ‘Cats have been curiously disregarded, like they never happened, for more than 70 years.
Until Kevin McLee rushed for 203 yards in 1976 at Auburn, 239 rushing yards gained by Trippi against Florida in 1945 (resulting less than a month after Smith’s 222) were considered the only 200-yard rushing performance in Georgia football history. But, why was, and has Rabbit’s feat continued to be unrecognized for all these years, including his 17.08 yards-per-play average against Kentucky (13-222), which would be a standalone single-game Georgia record?
Perhaps, “insufficient documentation”?
I wouldn’t think so, especially since Georgia’s archives include a copy of the NCAA’s official statistics sheet from the ’45 Kentucky game.
Nevertheless, the week of the 2015 Kentucky game, The Daily Dawg Caller is recognizing the 200-yard rushing game and what should be the school record for total yards per play—both achieved against the Wildcats 70 years ago by Charles “Rabbit” Smith, who passed away at the age of 89 a little less than two years ago in East Palatka, Fla.
And finally, now that I think about it, The Daily Dawg Caller is also acknowledging the three receiving touchdowns Rabbit scored in the second game of the 1943 season against LSU—what should be a single-game record-tying feat at Georgia—although they too have been disregarded in the record books, and despite plenty of “sufficient” documentation.
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ON THIS DATE – November 6th: Georgia’s has an impressive 10-2-1 all-time record in games played on November 6th including, and speaking of Bob McWhorter, a tremendous comeback victory 102 years ago in 1913. Against Clemson at the neutral site of Augusta, McWhorter rushed for 75 yards, passed for another 85, and was responsible for all three of the Red and Black’s touchdowns in an 18-15 win. The final score was a 45-yard game-winning touchdown from the senior halfback to Roy Smith.
And, speaking of records—ones which were recognized—on November 6, 2004, quarterback David Greene set the NCAA Division-I record for career wins as a starting quarterback (40), and the SEC record for most consecutive passes without throwing an interception (206) in a 62-17 dismantling of Kentucky in Lexington.
But, what is “sufficient” documentation?
Who knows, because apparently the two or three newspapers covering the games at the time, and the couple of proofs of evidence that have popped up since—all of which agree McWhorter scored 61 touchdowns—were then, and are now not “sufficient.”
Appropriate considering this Saturday’s opponent, here’s perhaps an ever better example:
Against Kentucky in 1945, Georgia routed the Wildcats, 48-6. The star of the game was a junior from Palatka, Fla., Charles “Rabbit” Smith, who was filling the role of the Bulldogs’ primary halfback until the return of Charley Trippi from military service. Against Kentucky, Smith remarkably rushed for 222 yards and four touchdowns on just 13 carries.
Smith had somewhat of a distinguished tenure at Georgia from 1943 through 1946. He remains the only Bulldogs player in history to score at least eight touchdowns rushing and receiving for a career, and his four touchdowns scored against Kentucky in ’45 were recognized as the school record (or, tied for) until broken by Robert Edwards 50 years later with five touchdowns against South Carolina in 1995. However, Rabbit’s 222 yards against the ‘Cats have been curiously disregarded, like they never happened, for more than 70 years.
Until Kevin McLee rushed for 203 yards in 1976 at Auburn, 239 rushing yards gained by Trippi against Florida in 1945 (resulting less than a month after Smith’s 222) were considered the only 200-yard rushing performance in Georgia football history. But, why was, and has Rabbit’s feat continued to be unrecognized for all these years, including his 17.08 yards-per-play average against Kentucky (13-222), which would be a standalone single-game Georgia record?
Perhaps, “insufficient documentation”?
I wouldn’t think so, especially since Georgia’s archives include a copy of the NCAA’s official statistics sheet from the ’45 Kentucky game.
Nevertheless, the week of the 2015 Kentucky game, The Daily Dawg Caller is recognizing the 200-yard rushing game and what should be the school record for total yards per play—both achieved against the Wildcats 70 years ago by Charles “Rabbit” Smith, who passed away at the age of 89 a little less than two years ago in East Palatka, Fla.
And finally, now that I think about it, The Daily Dawg Caller is also acknowledging the three receiving touchdowns Rabbit scored in the second game of the 1943 season against LSU—what should be a single-game record-tying feat at Georgia—although they too have been disregarded in the record books, and despite plenty of “sufficient” documentation.
**********
ON THIS DATE – November 6th: Georgia’s has an impressive 10-2-1 all-time record in games played on November 6th including, and speaking of Bob McWhorter, a tremendous comeback victory 102 years ago in 1913. Against Clemson at the neutral site of Augusta, McWhorter rushed for 75 yards, passed for another 85, and was responsible for all three of the Red and Black’s touchdowns in an 18-15 win. The final score was a 45-yard game-winning touchdown from the senior halfback to Roy Smith.
And, speaking of records—ones which were recognized—on November 6, 2004, quarterback David Greene set the NCAA Division-I record for career wins as a starting quarterback (40), and the SEC record for most consecutive passes without throwing an interception (206) in a 62-17 dismantling of Kentucky in Lexington.
