Austin Downes Explained
| Austin Downes |
| Birth Date: | 1905 8, mf=y |
| Birth Place: | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 5 |
| Height In: | 8 |
| Weight Lb: | 156 |
| Currentposition: | Quarterback |
| Currentnumber: | 1; 20; 41 |
| School: | Georgia Bulldogs |
| Class: | Graduate |
| Pastschools: |
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| Highlights: |
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Austin J. Downes (August 20, 1905 – May 25, 1979) was a college football player. He later worked for the US government in Phoenix, Arizona.[1]
Early years
Downes came from an Irish family in Chicago.[2] Downes was to play for Knute Rockne's Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, but transferred to the University of Georgia under Rockne's protege coach Harry Mehre.[3]
University of Georgia
Downes was a prominent quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs of the University of Georgia from 1929 to 1931. He was twice All-Southern.[2] [4] He led the team in 1930 to wins over Eastern powers NYU and Yale.[5] The Georgia tradition of rubbing the head of Harry "Squab" Jones to some degree starts with Downes, who refused to rub it. After finally doing so, Downes returned the opening kickoff in the Yale Bowl 70+ yards for a touchdown, catching it off a bounce on the grass.[6] [7] [8] The 1931 team of which he was captain[9] [10] [11] suffered just two losses, one to national champion USC, and the other to the team USC beat in the Rose Bowl, Southern champion Tulane.
Notes and References
- Web site: The Red and Black (Athens, Ga.) 1893-current, November 04, 1938, Image 7 « Georgia Historic Newspapers .
- News: All-Southern Team. The Monroe News-Star. 6. December 2, 1931. September 21, 2015. Newspapers.com.
- Book: Sperber, Murray A.. Shake Down the Thunder: The Creation of Notre Dame Football. October 21, 2002. Indiana University Press. 0253215684. Google Books.
- News: Fitchburg Sentinel . Three Tulane Stars Picked for All-Southern Team . Dillon Graham . December 2, 1931.
- Book: About Them Dawgs!: Georgia Football's Memorable Teams and Players . Patrick Garbin . 21, 29. 9780810860407 . 2008 . Scarecrow Press .
- News: "Squab" part of Georgia football. December 29, 1982. Austin Wilson. Gettysburg Times.
- News: Jones' Head Good Luck Charm For Georgia . December 29, 1982 . Spartanburg Herald-Journal.
- Web site: Archived copy . 2021-10-21 . 2021-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211021031513/http://www.manchesterhistory.org/News/Manchester%20Evening%20Hearld_1930-11-05.pdf . dead .
- News: Line Has Edge On Backfielders. The Monroe News-Star. 7. August 26, 1931. September 22, 2015. Newspapers.com. Dillon Graham.
- News: Sarasota Herald-Tribune . October 12, 1931 . Pack of Veterans Carry on Georgia's Grid Wars .
- Web site: Team Captains . 2014-12-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141211084631/http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082408aaa.html . 2014-12-11 . dead .
