The Throwin' Mayoan

Mayo is a small town of about 1,000 souls in north Florida, about halfway between Gainesville and Tallahassee. It is the seat of Lafayette County. The town was reportedly named for a confederate colonel, James Micajah Mayo. The picture above is of a city park in Mayo.

Kerwin Bell was the University of Florida's quarterback between 1984-1987 and is still one of the Gator's best loved folk heroes. When he was still in high school, he was told by many major college coaches that he didn't have the skills to compete in Division I football. Kerwin did not agree with these coaches, and wanted to show everybody that he could indeed compete. He decided to try out for the Gator football team as a walk-on, a player without a scholarship, in 1983.

He began his Gator career as the eighth string quarterback, a redshirt freshman.
A year later Kerwin was the Gator starting quarterback, got his scholarship, and went on to become that year's Southeast Conference Player of the Year. By the time he finished his career at Florida he had become the conference's all-time leading passer with over 7,500 yards.

When Kerwin began his career as a Gator, the Tampa Bay Buccaneer quarterback was Jack Thompson, who had been born in American Samoa. Ever since Jack's college days he was known as the Throwin' Samoan. It was only fitting that Kerwin become the Throwin' Mayoan.

Kerwin had a fine professional football career in Canada, and in the World League in America with the Orlando Thunder. After his playing days were over, he coached high school football for a time in Ocala, and is now the head football coach at Jacksonville University.

Learn more about Mayo and Kerwin Bell at Florida Backroads Travel.