Jake Gaither

Biography

Alonzo Smith "Jake" Gaither (April 11, 1903 – February 18, 1994) was an American college football coach and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at the Saint Paul Normal and Industrial School—later known as Saint Paul's College—in Lawrenceville, Virginia for one season, in 1937, and at Florida A&M University (FAMU) from 1945 to 1969. In 25 seasons as head coach of the Florida A&M Rattlers football program, his teams had a record of 203–36–4, and won six black college football national championships. His won–loss record is among the best of any college football coach. Gaither also coached basketball at Saint Paul and Florida A&M, and was the athletic director at the latter. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1975.

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