Starting Quarterback...Don Grant
By Jim Joanos
On October 18, 1947, Stetson kicked off to Florida State. There were 8,000 fans packed into and around the bleachers of Tallahassee's Centennial Field. It was the first Florida State intercollegiate football game since 1904. Number 14, FSU's starting quarterback, Don Grant, took the opening kickoff on his own three and advanced the ball twenty-nine yards.
In the second quarter of that first game, Grant threw to Charles McMillan in the southeast corner of the end zone to score the school's first touchdown in the modern era. Tallahassee Democrat Sports Editor Fred Pettijohn described it as a "miracle catch" of Grant's "high forward pass". Although FSU scored first, they lost the game to Stetson, 14-6. The Seminoles also lost the other four games of that first season. Regardless, Don Grant and the other members of that first team have been accorded legendary status in FSU football history.
There were no last year's starters and no lettermen on that first FSU team. Grant and most of the players were military veterans going to college after World War II. The head coach, Ed Williamson, had no football coaching experience at the college level. His assistant, Jack Haskin, like Williamson, had come to Florida State to be a physical education instructor, not a football coach. Nevertheless, the team was most competitive and although losing all of its games was never embarrassed by any of the five teams that they played.
A special banquet
Grant and thirty-five other Seminoles were awarded garnet sweaters with gold letters at a special banquet in January following that first season. You would never know that the team had gone winless by the spirit present at that banquet. FSU's football future looked extremely bright. Earlier that same day, it had been announced that the great former Big Ten Conference running back, Don Veller, who had more recently been an assistant coach at his alma mater, Indiana, had been hired to coach future Florida State teams. The event held at the Tallahassee Country Club (now the Capital City Country Club) was sponsored by the Tallahassee Kiwanis Club and included many dignitaries. Judge Ben Meginniss was the toastmaster and the speakers for the night included FSU's president, Doak S. Campbell, and none other than the Governor of Florida, Millard Caldwell.
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Governor Caldwell told the crowd that "the best football that I saw played last season was by Florida State University" and that "they proved that top rate football can be played on a non-commercial basis". Also in attendance were two Florida Cabinet members, Superintendent of Public Instruction Colin English and Secretary of State R.A. Gray. Among the many special guests were three members of the 1902-04 Florida State football teams, Harry Wells, F.W. Bucholz, and W.S. McLin, Sr. It was indeed a great beginning for the new era in Florida State football.
That wonderful "underdog spirit", that the 1947 team had, has to this day continued to be an integral part of FSU football. Don Grant has personified that spirit.
Don Grant was born in 1923 in Savannah but moved to Valdosta soon thereafter where he lived until age sixteen. In Valdosta, he participated in numerous sports growing up including playing football at Valdosta High during his freshman year in high school. At age 16, he even fought as a boxer in a number of club fights in the area. He remembers being paid three dollars a fight for the three-round events.
High School Star
In 1939 his family moved to Perry, Florida, where Grant continued his high school sports participation. At Taylor County High School, he participated and lettered in football, basketball and baseball. In January of 1943, in his senior year, he left high school early to join the Navy Air Corps and participate in the "Big War". He went first to Jacksonville Naval Air Station and then to Cecil Field, also near Jacksonville. Later he spent six months learning about aircraft hydraulics at a Navy installation near Chicago before ultimately winding up at Green Cove Springs Naval Air Station. Throughout his Navy career he continued his boxing and was the Golden Gloves Welterweight Boxing Champion at Green Cove Springs. He never lost a fight at Green Cove. However, he does admit to losing one fight when he was stationed in Chicago. He also played Six Man Football in the Navy. The war ended in August of 1945, and he was phased out in April of 1946.
Almost a Gator
In the summer of 1946, Grant went to Gainesville and rented a room with plans to begin college at the University of Florida the following fall. He had been invited to try out for the University of Florida football team by Coach "Bear" Wolf.
Then he received a postcard in the mail that would change his plans. The card from the University of Florida administration asked him if he would "like to attend the Tallahassee Branch of the University of Florida". Because the University of Florida campus in Gainesville could not accommodate all of the military veterans returning from World War II, an arrangement was made for about 600 men to attend classes at the Florida State College for Women in Tallahassee. Technically, the males would be considered enrolled at the U of F, but practically, they would be a part of FSCW.
It did not take Grant long to respond, "why sure". In general, he was aware of the 2500 women who were attending the Florida State College for Women. Specifically, he knew at least one rather special Perry girl who was there. In any event, he started college in Tallahassee in September of 1946. He lived with the other TBUF men out at what was called "west campus" in barracks that had housed soldiers at the Dale Mabry Field Army Air Corps installation during the war. He remembers riding the yellow school buses back and forth between West Campus and the main campus. He always got off at the Sweet Shop on his daily trips. It was a popular gathering place for students to hang out before and after classes.
TBUF Basketball
TBUF's athletic program during that 1946-47 school year consisted mainly of intramurals. However, they did field a basketball team that played an assortment of college, junior college, and other amateur teams. Grant played Guard on that team which was coached by Ed Williamson, the same Ed Williamson who would the following year coach FSU's first football team.
In the Spring of 1947, the Legislature met and enacted legislation transforming FSCW and TBUF into the coeducational Florida State University. Sometime that summer, a decision was made that FSU would again play intercollegiate football which had not been done at the Tallahassee institution since 1904. Six weeks later FSU opened its modern era of football against Stetson.
The first game
Grant remembers that first game as the "largest crowd that I had ever played before". Sometime in that first game, he lost several fillings in his teeth. He remembers carrying the ball when "some guy" hit him in the face. Remember, football helmets did not have face masks in 1947. He also has a scar on his chin to this day that he acquired in that game. It was the result of his chin hitting the sole of a Stetson player's shoe when Grant tackled him. The football shoes of those days had thick hard soles that protruded out somewhat from the sides of the shoes.
The first season ended and Grant went out for basketball and baseball in between the football season and spring football practice. His social life on campus centered around his membership in the Kappa Alpha Fraternity. One of his closest friends on campus was his football teammate, Ralph Chaudron.
The new coach
Coach Veller was still finishing up his doctorate work at Indiana so spring practice was handled mostly by Charles and Bill Armstrong, brothers who had played at Indiana for Veller and who became his assistant coaches at FSU. Bob Harbison, another former Indiana player, would be the third assistant coach and came on board in the Fall of 1948 when Veller moved to Tallahassee. Grant remembers practices under Veller's leadership as being long and hard. He jokes that when it got dark, Veller did not stop practice, he just "threw out a white football" and they kept practicing. He says that there was a lot of difference between the first and second years of FSU football. It translated into seven victories and only one defeat in the second season.
In his second year of FSU football, Grant played mainly on defense. He had been a T formation quarterback the first year. When Veller came, he brought with him the Cockeyed T formation, which meant that on most plays, the offense would shift so that the quarterback would become a "blocking back" which was more akin to a "pulling guard" than a quarterback. That year FSU had a very large, good blocker named Walter Foy who was better suited to the requirements of the position than was Grant. However, on defense, Grant excelled and was very valuable to the team.
The 1948 season was Grant's last at FSU as he got his diploma in the Spring of 1949. He says that he had "not been much of a student" in high school but after his war time experiences, he decided to "settle down in college". The result was graduation after only three years in college with a degree in Zoology.
Back to Perry
After graduation, Grant packed up his stuff and went "by bus" back to Perry. He has lived there since. He planned to teach and filled out an application for a future opening. In the meantime, he went to work for a friend who had a Dodge automobile dealership. Then one day, he was offered a job to manage an auto parts store. In time, he saved his money, and bought the store, the Perry Auto Supply, a little at a time. Eventually, he owned it all and bought another in Cross City. He continued to invest his money and has done "very well" financially.
Soon after his return to Perry, Grant became the announcer and operated the public address system for all of the Taylor County High School football games. He would perform those tasks for many years. In that capacity, he became an institution in the community. He used his soft spoken dry wit to perfection. Folks from Perry still talk about how entertaining Grant was when he announced games. He was rather skilled also in keeping them informed throughout the game.
Grant has been quite active in civic affairs in Perry. He was a charter member and helped organize the Perry-Taylor County Chamber of Commerce in 1956. He later served as President of that organization in 1964-65. A member of the Elks Club, he has served in a number of positions in the Perry lodge of that organization including that of Exalted Ruler. He has also been active in the Lions Club.
A family man
In August of 1957, Grant married Carlyen Rhodes of Fort Myers, who had just graduated from FSU. Her roommate in college was from Perry and Carlyen would visit with her occasionally in Perry. Grant had met Carlyen during one of those visits. They have been married for forty-four years and have three sons and a daughter, all of whom attended and obtained degrees at FSU. Two of the sons played varsity golf at FSU in the early 80's and were coached by the same Don Veller who had been their father's football coach in 1948.
Throughout his years in Perry, Grant has been a devoted FSU alumnus. He credits Billy Owens, now deceased, in getting him started in Booster activities in Perry. At some point, Owens, a very active Booster and FSU alum, went to Perry and enlisted Grant's help in starting a booster group there.
Important Booster
Grant became FSU's chief booster in the area. For many years, he organized fans and raised money for the FSU Boosters. When FSU coaches went to Perry to speak, it was Grant who organized the events. When he was in charge of programs for civic functions, he made arrangements to have FSU administrators and coaches come to Perry to speak. In the years when Boosters were allowed to assist in the recruitment of athletes, Grant was at the forefront of the FSU efforts in regard to prospects in the Perry area. He spent almost thirty years on the Seminole Boosters national board of directors. Grant has lots of memories about his involvement in FSU activities. He was a very close friend of Bill Peterson and accompanied the football team on many out of town trips during Peterson's time as head coach at FSU. He and his "very close friend" Bernie Sliger, FSU's former president, spend a lot of time together watching ball games. Sliger comments on how much fun it is to watch a game with him. Grant always knows the identity of the player making the play, a skill that he obviously cultivated during those Perry football games that he announced for so many years.
Not only has Grant been active, he has been very generous in regard to his alma mater. He has been a major financial benefactor of Florida State. When the Golden Chiefs designation was created by the Seminole Boosters for donors willing to give at least $5,000.00 each year, Grant became one and remains one to this day. He was number nine of the charter group of that entity. In addition, he has endowed a $50,000.00 football scholarship. He has also given a "Founder" donation to the FSU Varsity Club. The Founder designation applies to gifts from $50,000.00 up. Grant's donation along with the other founder gifts have enabled the Varsity Club to construct the skybox currently enjoyed by former FSU athletes.
Don Grant received that first kickoff in 1947. He is still carrying the ball for FSU.