Mack Franklin, one of the really good guys in Tennessee football history, has died at age 93.
He played on the 1951 national championship team, was an all-Southeastern Conference defensive end in 1952 and captain of the 1953 Volunteers.
Mack was a high school star in Madisonville. He was overshadowed at Tennessee by the big names of his era – Doug Atkins, Bert Rechichar, Hank Lauricella, John Michels, Andy Kozar, Jimmy Hahn, etc.
At UT, Mack earned a degree in natural sciences with a major in zoology. He added a master’s degree and did work toward a doctorate. He taught chemistry and coached football at Oak Ridge, Farragut and East Ridge in Chattanooga.
He became a principal. He was assistant superintendent of Hamilton County Schools in 1982-88.
After retirement, Franklin served as vice president for STARS (Students Taking a Right Stand), a drug education program implemented in school systems throughout the United States.
In his spare time, Mack was on the Tennessee Secondary Schools’ board of control (he’s in the TSSAA hall of fame). He was president of Drug Free Alliance, chair of the Hamilton County juvenile court and chair for the Chattanooga chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He served 23 years as director of East Ridge Recreation.
He was for a long time active in Presbyterian churches in Chattanooga. At the time of his death, he was a member of the Hermitage United Methodist Church.
I thought Mack Franklin practiced what he preached.
The son of a Presbyterian minister once, quite modestly, told me about his goal in life – “to leave the world a little better because I lived and served.”
I think he did it.
Franklin was one of the last links to Robert R. Neyland, Tennessee’s most famous football coach (Jim Haslam was the Vol captain the year before Franklin).
Mack said he never had a lot of contact with Neyland.
“Usually, if you spent one-on-one time with him, it was because you were in trouble.”
Mack is survived by Betty Lou, his wife of almost 73 years, daughter Sharon Darby and sons Don, Chris and Greg.
Mack will be or has been buried at Haven Hill Memorial Gardens in Madisonville.
Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com
