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| Charlie Armstrong |
Full Name: Charlie Armstrong
Born: February 16, 1922, Evansville, Ind.
Died: December 13, 2009, Tallahassee, Fla.
Legacy Bricks: Legacy Walk Map Link
1994 Coach HOF - Loc 40
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| FSU Career |
| Coaches & Administrators | |
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| Member of the FSU Hall of Fame |
| Elected into the FSU Hall of Fame in 1994 |
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Charlie Armstrong was a true pioneer in Florida State athletics. An Army Corps veteran and outstanding football player on Indiana's Big 10 Championship of 1946, Armstrong was hired by Don Veller as
Florida State's first assistant coach in the spring of 1948. Besides his football duties, Charlie was also named FSU's first ever baseball coach. Armstrong led the Noles to winning records in each of
their first four baseball seasons (1948-51). During Charlie's four years on the football staff, the Noles won 30 of 34 games. Coach Don Veller gives Charlie much credit for the team's first football success which culminated in FSU's first bowl win against Wofford College in the 1949 Cigar Bowl. Armstrong was called back into the military service in 1951. He went on to coach winning programs at several high schools following his retirement from the military in 1970.
Charlie and Millie, his wife of 47 years, live in Tallahassee and have four children and ten grandchildren. Published in Tallahassee Democrat on December 15, 2009. Charles Armstrong Charles Armstrong, 87, passed away December 13, 2009, at Big Bend Hospice. He was born February 16, 1922 in Evansville, Indiana to Chris and Goldie Armstrong. He was attending Evansville College when World War II started; he already had a pilot's license. He volunteered to serve his country and joined the Army Air Corps. He flew B-24s. He often talked of a flight over Germany he flew with the actor Jimmy Stewart. After the war he enrolled at Indiana University where he played college football. In 1945 Indiana University won the Big Ten Championship. After graduation, Coach Don Veller asked him to become an assistant football coach at Florida State. Back then assistant football coaches were asked to coach another sport. Charles had played a lot of baseball in Evansville so he became Florida State's first baseball coach. When the Korean War broke out, being in the reserves, he was recalled to the Air Force. He was in the Strategic Air Command flying the B-47 and teaching other officers to fly it. He retired from the Air Force in 1970. Having family and many friends in Tallahassee, he moved his family back to Florida. He taught school and coached football at Quincy Shanks, Lincoln High in Tallahassee, Jefferson County in Monticello, and Washington High in Pensacola before retiring to live in Tallahassee. Charles is survived by his loving wife, Milly, of 62 years. They met at Indiana University. He is also survived by four children: Virginia Lee Zeitler (husband Jim) of Henderson, Nevada,;John Armstrong of Panama City, Charles Jr. (wife Sue) of Pensacola; and Melinda Hopf (husband Mike) of Warner-Robins, Georgia. Charlie and Milly have 12 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at North Florida Baptist Church on Wednesday, December 16, at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be at Culley's MeadowWood Memorial Park. Memorial contributions may be made to Big Bend Hospice or North Florida Baptist Church. From the FSU Website, seminoles.com.
Passing Of Charlie Armstrong. TALLAHASSEE, FL - Former Florida State baseball head coach and football assistant coach Charlie Armstrong, who led the Seminole baseball team in their first four years of the program's existence, passed away on December 13, 2009 at Big Bend Hospice in Tallahassee. Charlie Armstrong was 87. Armstrong coached the first four Florida State baseball teams and was the first assistant football coach in FSU history when head coach Don Veller hired the former Indiana University star in 1948. Armstrong literally started the FSU baseball program from scratch pulling together a team and equipment while posting winning records in each of the first four years from 1948-51. He finished with a career coaching record of 46-29 over his four seasons in Tallahassee collecting a season-high 13 wins in 1950 and 1951. During his four years on the football staff, FSU won 30 of 34 games. Veller gave him a great deal of credit for the team's first football success which culminated in FSU's first bowl win against Wofford College in the 1949 Cigar Bowl. In 1994, Armstrong was inducted to the Florida State University Hall of Fame recognized for his efforts as a Seminole coach. Born February 16, 1922 in Evansville, Indiana, Armstrong attended Evansville College when World War II began. Since he was a licensed pilot, Armstrong volunteered to serve his country and joined the Army Air Corps. He was assigned to the European Theater where he flew the B-24 bomber in many dangerous missions over Germany. He was a part of the June 6, 1944 D-Day invasion, flying a lead B-24 in a critical bombing run over Europe that day and many days to follow. Armstrong later retired as a Lt. Colonel from the Air Force in 1970. After the war, Armstrong enrolled at Indiana University where he played college football. He held several placekicking records for decades and was an integral part of the 1945 Indiana University team that won the Big Ten Championship. Following his military service, Armstrong decided to become a coach and teacher in the Florida school system and over many years he both taught and coached football at Quincy Shanks, Lincoln High in Tallahassee, Jefferson County in Monticello and Washington High in Pensacola before retiring to live in Tallahassee. Armstrong is survived by his loving wife, Milly, of 62 years. He is also survived by four children: Virginia Lee Zeitler (husband Jim) of Henderson, Nevada; John Armstrong of Panama City, Florida; Charles, Jr. (wife Sue) of Pensacola, Florida; and Melinda Hopf (husband Mike) of Warner Robins, Georgia. Charlie and Milly have 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at North Florida Baptist Church on Wednesday, December 16, at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be at Culley's Meadow Wood Memorial Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to
Big Bend Hospice or North Florida Baptist Church. |
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