F. Eugene Tubbs Explained

F. Eugene Tubbs
Birth Date:31 July 1935
Birth Place:Dania Beach, Florida, U.S.
Death Place:Lake City, Florida, U.S.
State House1:Florida
District1:72nd
Term Start1:1970
Term End1:1972
Preceded1:Richard J. Tillman
Succeeded1:John P. Harllee
State House2:Florida
District2:45th
Term Start2:1972
Term End2:1974
Preceded2:William L. Gibson
Succeeded2:Clark Maxwell Jr.
Party:Republican
Spouse:Caroline Tubbs[1]

F. Eugene Tubbs (July 31, 1935 – July 4, 1978) was an American politician. He served as a Republican member for the 45th and 72nd district of the Florida House of Representatives.[2] [3]

Tubbs was born in Dania Beach, Florida, the son of Margaret Tubbs.[4] Tubbs served as a flight surgeon on NASA’s Project Gemini. He was a doctor in Brevard County, Florida, and worked in the emergency department at the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. He was credited as one of the creators of the sports drink Gatorade, along with four other people at the University of Florida.[5]

In 1970, Tubbs was elected for the 72nd district of the Florida House of Representatives. He then represented the 45th district from 1972 to 1974. In the same year, he moved to Tallahassee, Florida.

In 1970 Tubbs sued the Stokely-Van Camp Company for $2 million as his share of the royalties from the development of Gatorade.[6] The claim was later reduced to $9,000.[7]

Tubbs died in July 1978 in a plane crash in Lake City, Florida, at the age of 42, along with his wife, Caroline.

Notes and References

  1. News: Former State Rep. Tubbs, Wife Die In Plane Crash. The Tampa Tribune. Tampa, Florida. July 5, 1978. June 29, 2022. 45. Newspapers.com.
  2. Web site: House of Representatives. June 29, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20180113095046/http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/fefdl/florida/House19672001.html. January 13, 2018. live. Wayback Machine.
  3. Web site: Membership of the Florida House of Representatives by County 1845-2012. Robert. Ward. August 3, 2011. Florida House of Representatives. June 29, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220316034642/https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/FileStores/Web/HouseContent/Approved/Public%20Guide/Uploads/Documents/house_counties_final.pdf. March 16, 2022. live. Wayback Machine.
  4. News: Frederick Eugene Tubbs. Tallahassee Democrat. Tallahassee, Florida. July 6, 1978. June 29, 2022. 44. Newspapers.com.
  5. Book: Rovell, Darren. First in Thirst: How Gatorade Turned the Science of Sweat Into a Cultural Phenomenon. 213. American Management Association. 2006. 9780814472996. Google Books.
  6. News: Doctor Sues For 'Share' In Gatorade. Nick. White. Florida Today. Cocoa, Florida. April 7, 1970. June 29, 2022. 2B. Newspapers.com.
  7. News: Gatorade Suit Falls To $9,000. The Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. May 21, 1971. June 29, 2022. 15. Newspapers.com.