Walter Mayberry
"Tiger" | |
| Florida Gators – No. 64 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Halfback |
| Class | 1937 |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | March 14, 1915 Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Died: | by March 5, 1944 (aged 28) Rabaul, New Britain |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 172 lb (78 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College | Florida (1934–1937) |
| High school | Mainland (Daytona Beach, Florida) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Walter Thomas "Tiger" Mayberry (March 14, 1915 – by March 5, 1944) was an American college football player, and later a U.S. Marine Corps fighter pilot. Mayberry was a casualty of World War II; dying in a Japanese prisoner of war camp after his plane was shot down.
Mayberry was a prominent running back for the University of Florida's Florida Gators football team. A triple-threat man, he also passed and punted. When punting he excelled at placing balls in the "coffin corner." As was typical in the 1930s, he played both offense and defense, posting multiple school records for interceptions. Mayberry was selected as a sixth round pick of the 1938 NFL draft, but never played in the NFL. He was the first Gator drafted into the league.