George Cafego

Career

High school and collegiate career

Born in rural Whipple, West Virginia to John Cafego and Mary (Rednock) Cafego, Cafego attended Oak Hill High School in nearby Oak Hill. Cafego was able to finish high school because his brother, Tom Cafego, supported the family by playing professional baseball during the summers and mining coal the rest of the year.

Cafego went to the University of Tennessee, where he played for the Tennessee Volunteers as a halfback under coach Robert Neyland. While there, he earned varsity letters from 1937 to 1939, and compiled 2,139 total yards and two All-American team selections. He was also a finalist for the Heisman Memorial Trophy. In addition to running and passing the ball, Cafego also served as punter and kickoff returner, excelling at both. At Tennessee, his nickname was "Bad News". As a sophomore, his first year on the varsity, he already showed signs of success, catching "many an expert eye." Cafego was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1969.

Professional career

Cafego was selected as the number one overall pick in the 1940 NFL draft by the Chicago Cardinals. He eventually played for the Brooklyn Dodgers. After playing one season, his career was interrupted by a brief stint of Army service in World War II era. During this time he appeared in several games for the Newport News Builders of the Dixie League. Returning to the Dodgers in 1943, he was traded to the Washington Redskins after five unspectacular games. For the 1944 and 1945 seasons, Cafego played for the Boston Yanks before retiring.

Coaching career

After his playing career was over, Cafego served as an assistant coach at Wyoming, Furman, Arkansas, and 30 years at his alma mater, Tennessee, serving under a total of six different head coaches during his UTK coaching career. He was also the head coach of Tennessee's baseball team from 1958 to 1962. He retired from coaching following the 1984 season.

Personal

His brother Tom Cafego played briefly in Major League Baseball (MLB), in .

Death

Cafego died in Knoxville, Tennessee, at the age of 82 and was buried in his native Fayette County in West Virginia.

References

References

1. Morrison, Dave. (September 30, 2021). "Oak Hill celebrates 100 years of football Friday night".
2. Gammon, Wirt. (February 18, 1939). "There's a Tom Cafego, Too". [[Chattanooga Daily Times]].
3. "1938 Heisman Trophy Voting".
4. "1939 Heisman Trophy Voting".
5. (November 6, 1939). "LIFE Goes to a Football Game to Watch Tennessee Trounce Alabama".
6. "George Cafego - Football".
7. (December 4, 1937). "All-American Team Selected". Washington C. H. Record-Herald.
8. "George Cafego (1969) - Hall of Fame".
9. "1940 NFL Draft Listing".
10. "1940 Brooklyn Dodgers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees".
11. Rucker, Wes. (June 17, 2015). "Top five RBs in Tennessee history".
12. "1943 Brooklyn Dodgers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees".
13. "1943 Washington Redskins Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees".
14. "1944 Boston Yanks Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees".
15. "1945 Bos/Bkn Yanks/Tigers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees".
16. (March 23, 1985). "George Cafego, a former All-America tailback who coached Tennessee's kickers for 30 years, has retired".
17. "Tom Cafego Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More".
18. (February 10, 1998). "Obituary for George Cafego".