Charlie Tate
Encyclopedia
Charles William "Charlie" Tate (February 20, 1919 – June 10, 1996) was an American college football
player and coach. Tate served as the head coach of the University of Miami
for six seasons during the 1960s and two games during the 1970 season.
He was born in the small town of Tracy City, Tennessee
, and later attended Julia E. Landon High School in Jacksonville, Florida
.
Tate attended the University of Florida
in Gainesville, Florida
, where he was a starting fullback
for coach Josh Cody
and coach Tom Lieb's Florida Gators football
teams from 1939 to 1941. Memorably, he scored the Gators' only touchdown in their 7–7 tie of the Auburn Tigers
in the first varsity game ever played in the Tigers' new Auburn Stadium. Tate graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
in education in 1942.
Tate was the head football coach of the Miami Hurricanes football
team at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida
, from 1964 to 1970. In six seasons and part of a seventh, he compiled an overall win-loss record of 34–27–3. His best season with the Hurricanes came in 1966
, when his team went 8–2–1 and won the Liberty Bowl
against Virginia Tech
. Tate's departure from Miami was surrounded by controversy and attracted national media attention when he abruptly resigned as the Hurricanes' athletic director and head football coach after the second game of the 1970 football season.
Chuck Foreman
was Tate's most famous recruit in the late 1960s. When interviewed at the ESPN Club in Orlando, Florida
, Foreman, who went on to a great in the NFL
for the Minnesota Vikings
, said of Tate, "He had faith in me, as a black athlete in the South during that tumultuous time, and I will never forget him. He was a great, generous man."
He was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame
in 1988. He died in 1996 from complications related to pneumonia
and Alzheimer's disease
.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
player and coach. Tate served as the head coach of the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
for six seasons during the 1960s and two games during the 1970 season.
He was born in the small town of Tracy City, Tennessee
Tracy City, Tennessee
Tracy City is a town in Grundy County, Tennessee, United States. Incorporated in 1915, the population was 1,481 at the 2010 census. Named after Benjamin Franklin Tracy, the city developed out of railroad and mining interests after coal was found in 1840. Tracy City is also home to the oldest family...
, and later attended Julia E. Landon High School in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
.
Tate attended the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he was a starting fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
for coach Josh Cody
Josh Cody
Joshua C. Cody was an American college athlete, head coach and athletics director. Cody was a native of Tennessee and an alumnus of Vanderbilt University, where he was a three-time All-American college football player...
and coach Tom Lieb's Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
teams from 1939 to 1941. Memorably, he scored the Gators' only touchdown in their 7–7 tie of the Auburn Tigers
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
in the first varsity game ever played in the Tigers' new Auburn Stadium. Tate graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in education in 1942.
Tate was the head football coach of the Miami Hurricanes football
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
team at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
, from 1964 to 1970. In six seasons and part of a seventh, he compiled an overall win-loss record of 34–27–3. His best season with the Hurricanes came in 1966
1966 Miami Hurricanes football team
The 1966 University of Miami Hurricanes football team had a 7-2-1 season.-Schedule & Results:-Team Players drafted into in the NFL:-External links:*...
, when his team went 8–2–1 and won the Liberty Bowl
1966 Liberty Bowl
The 1966 Liberty Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Miami Hurricanes at Memphis Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee on December 10, 1966. The game was the final contest of the 1966 college football season for both teams, and ended...
against Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
. Tate's departure from Miami was surrounded by controversy and attracted national media attention when he abruptly resigned as the Hurricanes' athletic director and head football coach after the second game of the 1970 football season.
Chuck Foreman
Chuck Foreman
Chuck Foreman is a retired NFL football player.He was a running back during his NFL career, although he often caught passes out of the backfield.-Early career:...
was Tate's most famous recruit in the late 1960s. When interviewed at the ESPN Club in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Foreman, who went on to a great in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, said of Tate, "He had faith in me, as a black athlete in the South during that tumultuous time, and I will never forget him. He was a great, generous man."
He was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame
Florida Sports Hall of Fame
The Florida Sports Hall of Fame is an association dedicated to honoring athletes with outstanding achievement in sports in Florida. It has expanded its goals to include encouraging physical fitness among Florida's citizens through the example of its honorees.The FSHOF was founded by the Florida...
in 1988. He died in 1996 from complications related to pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
.