Gil Reese

David Argillus "Gil" Reese (January 14, 1901 – May 30, 1993) nicknamed "the Tupelo Flash" was an American football, basketball, and baseball player for the Vanderbilt Commodores of Vanderbilt University.

He was captain of all three his senior year, the first to do so at Vanderbilt.

Gil was the brother of baseball player Andy Reese, playing with him on the Florence Independents in Alabama.

Gil was born on January 14, 1901 in Tupelo, Mississippi, attended and played sports at Tupelo High School with his brother Andy.

Reese attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

He was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity.

Reese received the Bachelor of Ugliness his senior year.

Reese played for coach Dan McGugin's Vanderbilt Commodores football teams from 1922 to 1925.

Gil was a prominent member of Commodores teams that compiled a win–loss–tie record of 26–5–3 (.790) over his four seasons, including two Southern Conference titles.

Gil weighed 155 pounds and wore number 11.

He was a main focus of backfield coach and former Vanderbilt great Lewie Hardage ever since his first year.

"I played against Reese three years" said Billy Harkness, former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback and captain of its 1926 team, "and touched his heel once."

It was said Reese could run 100 yards in 10.1 seconds.

In 1934, Reese was selected for Vanderbilt's all-time football team.

His freshman season opened with a 38 to 0 triumph over Middle Tennessee State, "The game being featured by the brilliant running of Gil Reese."

In his second game, against Henderson-Brown, Reese gave an otherwise lethargic first half from the Commodores its lone spark.

Their only points of the half came on a 70-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, in which Reese darted through the entire Henderson-Brown defense.

Vanderbilt found its stride in the second half, scoring 26 points, and winning 33 to 0.

His third week was the big one, as a starter in the scoreless tie with the Michigan Wolverines at the dedication of Dudley Field, Reese made 105 yards on punt returns, including one return of 24 yards.

Though displaying skill, he was contained by the Wolverines, forcing his movement sideways.

Reese once "side stepped his way through half the Michigan team for eight yards."

Walter Camp was impressed by Reese's punt returns that day.

The following game against Texas at the Texas State Fair saw the Commodores win 20 to 10.

Reese was the widely accepted player of the game, scoring all three of Vanderbilt's touchdowns, breaking tackles and sprinting past the Texas defense.

After a fumble recovery by Hek Wakefield at the 25-yard line, Reese eventually punched it in off-tackle for the game's first touchdown as Vanderbilt led 7 to 3.

The second score came later after captain Jess Neely broke a streak of lethargic offense, running back a 30-yard punt return.

Starting from the 40-yard line, this drive was credited to Reese.

After two Vanderbilt runs, one of about ten yards around end from Scotty Neill and another of about four yards through the middle from Doc Kuhn, Reese jetted around the end, "slipping here, twirling there," for a 46-yard touchdown.

In the second half, Neely hit Lynn Bomar on a long pass that went twenty-three yards in the air, with Bomar running for some twenty more and down close to the goal.

Reese ran it in on the next play, and the try was good.

Vanderbilt 20, Texas 10.

Reese also got an interception against Texas.

In the Kentucky game, Reese was sent in for Freddie Meiers to close out the game.

He had one run of 35 yards, failing to score because of Kentucky's Brewer just getting his feet from behind.

The final week against Sewanee saw Vanderbilt win 26 to 0.

The first scoring drive was marked by dashes around end from Reese and powerful runs off tackle by Freddie Meiers.

Reese went around the right end for 13 yards.

Meiers then ran all the way down to Sewanee's 14-yard line, and Reese skirted around left end for ten more.

After Meiers failed to gain on the next play, Reese carried the ball for a score on a flank attack.

Towards the end of the game, Reese took two runs which together accounted for 19 yards.