Hall of Fame
Position: Halfback
Years: 1931-1933
Place of Birth: Bristol, VA
Date of Birth: Aug 20, 1908
Place of Death: Winston-Salem, NC
Date of Death: Mar 11, 1979
Jersey Number: 48
Height: 5-10
Weight: 180
High School: Bristol, VA (Bristol HS)
Beattie Feathers scored 32 touchdowns in 30 games for Tennessee, 1931-33. Tennessee had a 25-3-2 record in that time. Beattie's career rushing total, 1,888 yards, lasted 37 years as the school record. He was All-America halfback and Southeastern Conference Most Valuable Player in 1933. His longest touchdown runs: 1931 - 60, 75, 80 yards vs. Mississippi, 70 vs. Kentucky, 65 vs. Duke, 65 vs. New York University 1932 - 54 vs. North Carolina, 33 vs. Mississippi. 1933 - 43 and 33 vs. Virginia Tech. In 1932 he averaged 46 yards on 23 punts in a driving rain against Alabama. In 1933 he made a 76-yard punt against Florida. Beattie played professionally 1934-40, and in his rookie year with the Chicago Bears set a pro record by averaging 9.9 yards per carry in rushing. He was head football coach at Appalachian State, 1942, and North Carolina State 1944-51, where he also coached baseball. He moved on to coach both sports at Texas Tech (1954-1960). Then came 24 years at Wake Forest as head baseball and assistant football coach. He was born William Beattie Feathers in Bristol, Virginia, August 20, 1909; he died March 11, 1979, in Winston Salem, North Carolina. He was a teammate of Gene McEver, another Hall of Fame halfback, in both high school at Bristol and in college. McEver was two years ahead of Feathers at both.
