Clint Castleberry
Encyclopedia
Lt. Clinton Dillard Castleberry, Jr. (October 10, 1923 in Atlanta, Georgia
- November 7, 1944) was a football
player in the 1940s.
"pony" back, standing at only 5'9" and weighing only 155 lbs. In high school, he played for Boys High in Atlanta, where he averaged 171 rushing yards per game and scored 102 points. In 1942, freshmen were ruled eligible to play varsity ball as rosters were drained by World War II. This allowed Castleberry to display his spectacular prowess on the football field. Against national power Navy, Castleberry led Tech to a 21-0 blowout on October 24, 1942 in Annapolis that was broadcast worldwide via the Armed Forces Radio Network. On October 3, 1942, Georgia Tech beat Notre Dame
for the first time since 1928, especially impressive as the game was played in South Bend and Notre Dame had not lost a game in two years. Castleberry led Georgia Tech in both passing and rushing yards, even after Notre Dame Head Coach Frank Leahy had been warned by a scout that Castleberry was "the most dangerous runner in America."
Georgia Tech started the season 9-0 and climbed to a top five national ranking. During that ninth win, Castleberry injured his knee in a hard-fought 20-7 win over Florida in Atlanta. Despite the injury, Castleberry played in the final two games of the season, but not quite at full speed. Tech lost their last game of the season 34-0 against Georgia, who shared a portion of the National Championship that season with Ohio State and Wisconsin. On New Year's Day, Tech traveled to the Cotton Bowl Classic, losing a tight game with Texas, 14-7. Castleberry's injury improved for the bowl game, yet he was still not quite a hundred percent.
Castleberry finished third in the Heisman trophy
voting for the season, behind winner Frank Sinkwich
and Paul Governali
, both seniors. This was the highest a freshman had ever placed in the Heisman voting. Castleberry's number 19 is the only football jersey Georgia Tech has ever retired.
and planned to return to play football at Georgia Tech after the War. During World War II, he co-piloted a B-26 Marauder
bomber known as "Dream Girl" and was stationed in Africa. In the early morning hours of November 7, 1944, Lt. Castleberry took off from Roberts Field
in Liberia
with another B-26 to continue a ferrying run up the coast toward Dakar, Senegal. Neither of the two planes were ever seen again, despite an extensive six-day search involving American and British search crews. On November 23, 1944, all crew members were officially re-classified from MIA to KNB (killed, no body).
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
- November 7, 1944) was a football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player in the 1940s.
College football
Castleberry showed extraordinary ability as a Georgia TechGeorgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
"pony" back, standing at only 5'9" and weighing only 155 lbs. In high school, he played for Boys High in Atlanta, where he averaged 171 rushing yards per game and scored 102 points. In 1942, freshmen were ruled eligible to play varsity ball as rosters were drained by World War II. This allowed Castleberry to display his spectacular prowess on the football field. Against national power Navy, Castleberry led Tech to a 21-0 blowout on October 24, 1942 in Annapolis that was broadcast worldwide via the Armed Forces Radio Network. On October 3, 1942, Georgia Tech beat Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
for the first time since 1928, especially impressive as the game was played in South Bend and Notre Dame had not lost a game in two years. Castleberry led Georgia Tech in both passing and rushing yards, even after Notre Dame Head Coach Frank Leahy had been warned by a scout that Castleberry was "the most dangerous runner in America."
Georgia Tech started the season 9-0 and climbed to a top five national ranking. During that ninth win, Castleberry injured his knee in a hard-fought 20-7 win over Florida in Atlanta. Despite the injury, Castleberry played in the final two games of the season, but not quite at full speed. Tech lost their last game of the season 34-0 against Georgia, who shared a portion of the National Championship that season with Ohio State and Wisconsin. On New Year's Day, Tech traveled to the Cotton Bowl Classic, losing a tight game with Texas, 14-7. Castleberry's injury improved for the bowl game, yet he was still not quite a hundred percent.
Castleberry finished third in the Heisman trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
voting for the season, behind winner Frank Sinkwich
Frank Sinkwich
Frank Francis Sinkwich Sr. won the 1942 Heisman Trophy as a player for the University of Georgia, making him the first recipient from the Southeastern Conference. In the course of a brief but celebrated career in professional football, Sinkwich was selected for the National Football League Most...
and Paul Governali
Paul Governali
Paul Vincent "Pitchin' Paul" Governali was a professional American football quarterback in the National Football League. An All-American at Columbia University, he was the 1942 recipient of the Maxwell Award for College Player of the Year and the first runner-up for the Heisman Trophy...
, both seniors. This was the highest a freshman had ever placed in the Heisman voting. Castleberry's number 19 is the only football jersey Georgia Tech has ever retired.
Army Air Forces
After the 1942 season was over, Castleberry enlisted in Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
and planned to return to play football at Georgia Tech after the War. During World War II, he co-piloted a B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
bomber known as "Dream Girl" and was stationed in Africa. In the early morning hours of November 7, 1944, Lt. Castleberry took off from Roberts Field
Roberts International Airport
-Accidents and incidents:*On 5 March 1967: Varig flight 837, a Douglas DC-8-33 registration PP-PEA flying from Rome-Fiumicino to Rio de Janeiro-Galeão via Roberts International Airport, caught fire after a mistaken approach to Monrovia, missing the threshold of the runway by 6,023 ft...
in Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
with another B-26 to continue a ferrying run up the coast toward Dakar, Senegal. Neither of the two planes were ever seen again, despite an extensive six-day search involving American and British search crews. On November 23, 1944, all crew members were officially re-classified from MIA to KNB (killed, no body).