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The Plant City Courier & Tribune
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Athlete Recalled As Champ On And Off The Field
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Published: May 21, 2008
PLANT CITY - Fred "Buddy" Cason, who lettered in four sports at Plant City High and led the school to its first South Florida Conference championship in 1950, scoring five touchdowns in the title game against Fort Myers, died May 8.
He was 75.
The star running back led the South Florida Conference in scoring that year with 138 points. After graduating from Plant City High, he played in the East-West All-Star game in Memphis, Tenn., scoring the winning touchdown in the final quarter.
Cason, who also lettered in baseball, track and golf, is credited with being the school's first National High School All American.
He attended the University of Florida on a football scholarship before enlisting in the Navy, where he continued playing football and baseball and was named to the All-Sea Service Squad. After two years of active duty, Cason attended the University of Tampa on a football scholarship, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1959.
While there, he was named Little All American, an honor bestowed upon outstanding athletes at smaller universities. Professional sports beckoned, and Cason was recruited to play football for the New York Giants and baseball for the Chicago White Sox.
The Plant City native made the Giants team but before the first game of the regular season realized the National Football League was not for him, said Jane Cason, who met her future husband when they were in junior high.
"That's not the life he wanted, and he came back home. I was sure glad to see him because we had two small boys," she said.
He taught drafting and architectural drawing at area high schools for three decades, including 23 years in St. Petersburg, where he lived before he and his wife returned to Plant City 21/2 years ago.
"He was an athlete, a fisherman, educator, a friend to people and great all-around person," summed up his wife.
He is also survived by two sons, four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
A May 17 memorial service was held at First Baptist Church of Plant City. Hopewell Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4433 or gwilkens@tampatrib.com.
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