Fatty Lawrence | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1903-05-06)May 6, 1903 Murfreesboro, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | August, 1976 (aged 73) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | head of Nashville’s Water and Sewerage Services Department |
| Football career | |
| No. 19, 15 | |
| Position | Guard |
| Personal information | |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Hume-Fogg |
| College | Vanderbilt (1921–1924) |
| Awards and highlights | |
Robert Landy "Fatty" Lawrence (May 6, 1903 – August, 1976)[1] was acollege football player who went on to become the superintendent of Nashville’s Water and Sewerage Services Department from 1932 to 1971;[2][3][4] namesake of the Robert L. Lawrence Jr., Filtration Plant. He was the father ofUnited States Navyvice admiralWilliam P. Lawrence and the grandfather ofNASAastronautWendy Lawrence.
Lawrence was a prominentguard forDan McGugin'sVanderbilt Commodores football team ofVanderbilt University from1921 to1924.[5] He was a part of three conference titles.
In the second week of play of1922 againstHenderson-Brown, Vanderbilt won 33 to 0. Lawrence recovered afumble in theend zone for Vanderbilt's fourth touchdown.[6] Lawrence also intercepted a pass in thescoreless tie with Michigan.[7] He was mentioned as one of the players of the game in the 14 to 6 victory overTennessee.The Nashville Banner said Lawrence had been "in there doing a man's job blocking a kick and tackling with the deadliness of atiger unleashed in a cave oflions."[8]
He was selectedAll-Southern by his teammates.[9]
"Vandy Defeats Arkansas Team." The Macon Daily Telegraph 8 Oct. 1922: 8.Sam S. Greene (October 15, 1922)."Michigan and Vanderbilt play to Scoreless Tie In Commodores' Stadium: Southerns Spring Surprise on Rivals".Detroit Free Press. Archived fromthe original on January 4, 2013.