Perry McGriff

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Perry McGriff

| image = Perry McGriff.jpg

| state_house = Florida

| state = Florida

| district = 22nd

| term_start = 2000

| term_end = 2002

| predecessor = Robert K. Casey

| successor = Larry Cretul

| office1 = Mayor of Gainesville

| term_start1 = 1970

| term_end1 = 1971

| predecessor1 = Walter E. Murphree

| successor1 = Neil A. Butler

| birth_name = Perry Colson McGriff, Jr.

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1937|6|29|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Arcadia, Florida, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2017|2|2|1937|6|29|mf=y}}

| death_place = Gainesville, Florida, U.S.

| alma_mater = University of Florida (BS)

| spouse = Noel McGriff

| profession = Insurance agent

| party = Democratic

| module = {{Infobox baseball biography

| embed = yes

| position = First baseman

| bats = Right

| throws = Left

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{bb|USA}}}}

{{MedalBronze | 1959 Chicago | Team}}}}}}

Perry Colson McGriff, Jr. (June 29, 1937 – February 2, 2017) was an American politician, retired insurance agent, and former All-American college football and baseball player. McGriff was a member of the Florida House of Representatives, Mayor of Gainesville and Democratic nominee for a seat in the Florida Senate.

Early life and education

McGriff was born in Arcadia, Florida, in 1937.Florida House of Representatives, [http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4198&SessionId=4 Representative Perry C. McGriff, Jr.] Retrieved May 7, 2011. He attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity (Florida Alpha Chapter) and Florida Blue Key leadership honorary. McGriff played college football for coach Bob Woodruff's Florida Gators football team in 1958 and 1959, and led the Gators with fourteen receptions for 360 receiving yards and was an honorable mention All-American in 1959.[http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2011/media_guide.pdf 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402035222/http://web.gatorzone.com/football/media/2011/media_guide.pdf |date=April 2, 2012 }}, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 111, 114, 115, 183 (2011). Retrieved August 30, 2011. McGriff was also an outfielder for coach Dave Fuller's Florida Gators baseball team from 1958 to 1960, and was honored as a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection in 1959 and 1960, a first-team All-American in 1959, and a second-team All-American in 1960.2009 Florida Gators Baseball Media Guide, [http://web.gatorzone.com/baseball/media/2009/pdf/9_history.pdf History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006160804/http://web.gatorzone.com/baseball/media/2009/pdf/9_history.pdf |date=October 6, 2011 }}, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 87 & 89 (2009). Retrieved May 7, 2011. He received his bachelor's degree in physical education from Florida in 1960, and was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 1969.F Club, Hall of Fame, [http://www.gatorfclub.org/hall-of-fame/greats Gator Greats]. Retrieved December 13, 2014.

Political career

McGriff, a Democrat, served as the 22nd district Representative in the Florida House of Representatives from 2000 to 2002. He also served as an Alachua County, Florida, commissioner, as a Gainesville, Florida city commissioner and as Gainesville mayor.Chad Smith, "[http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100617/ARTICLES/100619457?Title=Perry-McGriff-will-challenge-Oelrich-for-Senate-seat Perry McGriff will challenge Oelrich for Senate seat]," The Gainesville Sun (June 17, 2010). Retrieved May 7, 2011. In 2010, he was the unsuccessful Democratic Party nominee for Florida's 14th senate district, losing to the incumbent Republican Steve Oelrich, 46 to 54 percent.Chad Smith, "[http://www.gainesville.com/article/20101102/ARTICLES/101109844 Oelrich retans Dist 14 Senate seat]," The Gainesville Sun (November 2, 2010). Retrieved May 7, 2011.

McGriff lived in Gainesville with his family. He died on February 2, 2017, at the age of 79.[https://www.seccountry.com/florida/florida-gators-perry-mcgriff-dies Former Florida Gators player and Gainesville mayor Perry McGriff Jr. dies]

References

Bibliography

Golenbock, Peter, Go Gators! An Oral History of Florida's Pursuit of Gridiron Glory, Legends Publishing, LLC, St. Petersburg, Florida (2002). {{ISBN|0-9650782-1-3}}.
Hairston, Jack, Tales from the Gator Swamp: A Collection of the Greatest Gator Stories Ever Told, Sports Publishing, LLC, Champaign, Illinois (2002). {{ISBN|1-58261-514-4}}.
McEwen, Tom, The Gators: A Story of Florida Football, The Strode Publishers, Huntsville, Alabama (1974). {{ISBN|0-87397-025-X}}.

External links

[http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4198&SessionId=4 Representative Perry C. McGriff, Jr.] – Official website of Florida House of Representatives.
{{baseball stats|brm=mcgrif001per}}

Category:1937 births

Category:2017 deaths

Category:All-American college baseball players

Category:Florida Gators baseball players

Category:Florida Gators football players

Category:Mayors of Gainesville, Florida

Category:Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives

Category:Florida city council members

Category:County commissioners in Florida

Category:Baseball players from Gainesville, Florida

Category:People from Arcadia, Florida

Category:American athlete-politicians