RIP #22, Joe Auer one of the most interesting personalities to wear the White & Gold

[DeepSnap]

A very interesting personality, to say the least. IIRC, the famous picture of Joe and his lion hung in Ma Twiggs's Players Training Table.

In 1962 against LSU in a nationally televised game from Grant Field, Tech led at the half 7-3, but LSU's All-American HB Jerry Stovall returned the second half kickoff for a score to go ahead 7-10.
With time about to expire, Lothridge threw a Hail Mary to a wide open Auer which was promptly dropped. When interviewed post game about the drop, Auer said "You can't win 'em all," and Larry Stallings had to be restrained from choking him. Watched that one as a 12YO sitting in the hot sun in the South horseshoe & had great views of Stovall's number getting smaller & smaller & Auer's drop about the south 10 yardline.

Auer, a Coral Gables native, was best known around there as the Miami Dolphin player who returned the opening KO of their very first game in 1966 for a TD.

RIP, #22. Say hi to Billy the Kid & the Jolly Giant.

Link

 

[BEEFENSE]

A very interesting personality, to say the least. IIRC, the famous picture of Joe and his lion hung in Ma Twiggs's Players Training Table.

In 1962 against LSU in a nationally televised game from Grant Field, Tech led at the half 7-3, but LSU's All-American HB Jerry Stovall returned the second half kickoff for a score to go ahead 7-10.
With time about to expire, Lothridge threw a Hail Mary to a wide open Auer which was promptly dropped. When interviewed post game about the drop, Auer said "You can't win 'em all," and Larry Stallings had to be restrained from choking him. Watched that one as a 12YO sitting in the hot sun in the South horseshoe & had great views of Stovall's number getting smaller & smaller & Auer's drop about the south 10 yardline.

Auer, a Coral Gables native, was best known around there as the Miami Dolphin player who returned the opening KO of their very first game in 1966 for a TD.

RIP, #22. Say hi to Billy the Kid & the Jolly Giant.

Link

I painfully remember that game. Tech had a really good team in '62. Only lost by 3 to Auburn and tied Fla. St. Went to the Bluebonnet Bowl and lost to Missouri 14-10 to finish 7-3-1. Was my Sr. year in HS and Stoval joined Johnny Majors on my hate list.

 

[donsue]

I painfully remember that game. Tech had a really good team in '62. Only lost by 3 to Auburn and tied Fla. St. Went to the Bluebonnet Bowl and lost to Missouri 14-10 to finish 7-3-1. Was my Sr. year in HS and Stoval joined Johnny Majors on my hate list.

I thought the 1962 team was very underrated...should have been undefeated

 

[cyclejacket]

Auer, a Coral Gables native, was best known around there as the Miami Dolphin player who returned the opening KO of their very first game in 1966 for a TD.

RIP, #22. Say hi to Billy the Kid & the Jolly Giant.

Link

I believe it was reported that when interviewed about the TD after the game, he was reported to say "I hope the noise didn't bother Flipper". He must have been a very colorful character. RIP Joe

 

[donsue]

I believe it was reported that when interviewed about the TD after the game, he was reported to say "I hope the noise didn't bother Flipper". He must have been a very colorful character. RIP Joe

Lothridge, Martin, Guthrie, Stallings, Auer, McNames, Gresham, Griffin, Caldwell, Watson, Bussell....some of the greatest to ever wear White and Gold!!!!

 

[77GTFan]

Auer was a fine player for Dodd. You mention the ‘62 game with LSU. My first memory of a college football game was the ‘60 game between the Jackets and LSU at Grant Field. It was a deluge of rain and we won 6-2. I was just five, but I well remember wanting to see Paul Dietzel and the Chinese Bandits, which sounded so exotic to a child. We sat with area high school coaches and their families atop the press box on bleachers before the upper west stands were built. Though Auburn was Dad’s alma mater and my favorite team throughout childhood, I truly believe that my first memory of Tech football helped set my life in the direction of wanting to attend Georgia Tech. Grant Field and Alexander were sacred places for me growing up.