1938 Florida A&M Rattlers football team

The 1938 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M College as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1938 college football season. In their third season under head coach William "Big Bill" Bell, the Rattlers compiled a perfect 8–0 record, defeated Kentucky State in the Orange Blossom Classic, outscored opponents by a total of 189 to 7, and were recognized as the black college national championship.[1] The Rattlers played their home games at College Field in Tallahassee, Florida.[2][3]

1938 Florida A&M Rattlers football
Black college national champion
SIAC champion
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
1938 record8–0 (6–0 SIAC)
Head coach
Home stadiumCollege Field

The team gained acclaim for not allowing a single point by opponents during the regular season. In seven regular season games, the Rattlers outscored opponents by a total of 180 to 0. Hailing the team as the pride of Florida, one sports writer observed: "The brand of football these colored lads have been turning out is so good that 'white folks' have been flocking to their games this year throughout the south."[4]

The team's acclaimed backfield, made up of quarterback Henry Butler, fullback Stanley Strachan, and halfbacks John D. Harris and Tom "Tank" Jones, was known as the "Four Ghosts".[5][6]

The line, known as the "Seven Rocks",[7] did not allow a first down against Tuskegee.[8] Defensively, the team still holds school records for both fewest yards allowed (951 yards in eight games) and fewest first downs allowed (53 in eight games).[9]

Jake Gaither, who later led the Rattlers from 1945 to 1969, was an assistant coach for the 1938 team.[10][7][11]

Schedule
DateOpponentSiteResultSource
September 30at North Carolina A&T*Greensboro, NCW 13–0
October 15Alabama State
W 17–0[12]
October 22Clark (GA)
  • College Field
  • Tallahassee, FL
W 33–0[13]
October 29at Morris Brown
W 16–0[14]
November 5Tuskegee
  • College Field
  • Tallahassee, FL
W 40–0[8]
November 12South Carolina State
  • College Field
  • Tallahassee, FL
W 41–0
November 19at KnoxvilleKnoxville, TNW 20–0[11]
December 3vs. Kentucky State*
W 9–7[15]
  • *Non-conference game

References
  1. "Florida A&M Yearly Results (1935-1939)". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  2. "A.&M., Tuskegee To Play Saturday". The Tallahassee Daily Democrat. November 3, 1938. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Rattlers Play Here Saturday". The Tallahassee Daily Democrat. November 11, 1938. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Rattlers Unknown In Own Backyard Gain High Honors". The Tallahassee Daily Democrat. November 23, 1938. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Florida Rattlers To Play Kentucky In Final Battle". The Tallahassee Daily Democrat. November 27, 1938. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Rattlers Leave For Big Battle With Kentucky". The Tallahassee Daily Democrat. December 2, 1938. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Rattlers Ready For Tuskegee Go". The Tallahassee Daily Democrat. November 4, 1938. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Florida Rattlers Smother Tuskegee Under 40-0 Score". The Tallahassee Daily Democrat. November 6, 1938. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Florida A&M Rattler Football Media Guide" (PDF). Florida A&M University. 2015. p. 75.
  10. "Rattlers Play Clark Saturday". The Tallahassee Daily Democrat. October 21, 1938. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Rattlers Retain Southern Crown; Beat Knoxville". The Tallahassee Daily Democrat. November 20, 1938. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Rattlers Smother 'Bama State, 17-0". The Tallahassee Daily Democrat. October 16, 1938. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Rattlers Crush Clark Team, 33-0". The Tallahassee Daily Democrat. October 23, 1938. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Morris Brown Defeated, 16 to 0". The Atlanta Constitution. October 30, 1938. p. 5B – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "Florida Rattlers Beat Kentucky, 9-7, For National Title". The Tallahassee Daily Democrat. December 4, 1938. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
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