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Rare OOAK 1951 Gainesville Quarterback Club in Appreciation Award UF Gators
This one‑of‑a‑kind presentation award was issued by the Gainesville Quarterback Club in 1951 and presented to M. M. Parrish, founder and first Captain of the organization. Established in 1950, the Gainesville Quarterback Club is recognized as the oldest Gator Football booster club in the world, marking the beginning of organized community support for University of Florida athletics.
Inscription (side): M.M. Parrish – In Grateful Appreciation – The Gainesville Quarterback Club – 1951
The award is a silverplate bowl produced by Reed & Barton, marked on the underside with Reed & Barton 105 and the company hallmark. Additional marking FPNS indicates Fine Plate on Nickel Silver, consistent with mid‑century Reed & Barton presentation pieces.
This artifact represents an early and foundational moment in the history of UF athletic booster culture. As a single‑issue presentation piece, it is the only example known to exist and constitutes a rare surviving object from the formative years of the Gainesville Quarterback Club. Items of this nature seldom appear outside private family holdings and are considered significant within the broader context of University of Florida history.
A true acquisition for the advanced UF Football collector or institutional archive seeking a unique artifact tied directly to the origins of organized Gator booster support.
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