{{short description|American physician}} {{Infobox college football player |name= Francis K. Neill |image= Scotty Neill 2.png | alt = | caption = Neill c. 1922 | currentnumber = 20 | currentposition = End/Punter | pastschools=Birmingham–Southern (c. 1918)<br>Vanderbilt (1919–1920; 1922) | birth_date = {{Birth date|1895|11|17|mf=y}} | birth_place = Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|mf=yes|1963|7|7|1895|11|17}} | death_place = Albany, Georgia, U.S. | height_ft = | height_in = | weight_lb = 170 | highlights = * SoCon championship (1922) * All-Southern (1922) * SIAA championship (baseball) (1921) * Bachelor of Ugliness (1922) | highschool = }}
'''Francis Kennedy "Scotty" Neill''' (November 17, 1895 – July 7, 1963) was an American football and baseball player for the Vanderbilt Commodores of Vanderbilt University. He won the Bachelor of Ugliness in 1922, Vanderbilt's highest honor for a male undergraduate. Neill was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity,<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GfATAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA35|pages=34–35|journal=The Delta of Sigma Nu Fraternity|volume=39|title=All Sigma Nu Football Team|author=Leroy E. Marlowe|year=1922}}</ref> and graduated with an M. D. in 1925.
==Early years== Neill was born on November 17, 1895, in Birmingham, Alabama, to Peter Neill and Rosina Jones Dollop.
==Vanderbilt==
===Baseball===
====1921==== Neill was a member of the 1921 SIAA champion Vanderbilt baseball team.<ref name=B21>{{cite web|url=http://www.vucommodores.com/genrel/050207aad.html|author=Bill Traughber|title=The Historic 1921 VU Baseball Team|access-date=2014-09-16|archive-date=2015-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715013153/http://www.vucommodores.com/genrel/050207aad.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Neill often batted cleanup in his time with the Commodores, referred to as the "Babe Ruth of the SIAA."<ref>{{Closed access}} {{cite news|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/HistArchive/?p_product=EANX&p_theme=ahnp&p_nbid=C6EG60GWMTQxMTUwNzY1Ni4yNzY2OTg6MToxMzoxMzIuMTk4LjUwLjEz&p_action=doc&s_lastnonissuequeryname=14&d_viewref=search&p_queryname=14&p_docnum=12&p_docref=v2:1126154AC3F56D80@EANX-1195CA9F03C00988@2422815-1195CA9FC70D86D8@7-1195CAA1729E5020@Neil%2C%20Star%20Hitter%20For%20Vandy%20Outfit|newspaper=Columbus Ledger|title=Neil, Star Hitter For Vandy Outfit|date=May 5, 1921}}</ref> Neill led the team in home runs with 13. Vanderbilt's yearbook ''The Commodore'' states that in a 1921 game against Southwestern Presbyterian University, the team achieved a world record in scoring 13 runs in one inning, after two men were out. The ''Tennessean'' recalls the event: "Neely singled as did Kuhn; Neil fanned but Thomas got his third straight hit and both tallied. Big Tot got hit by a pitched ball and Smith was safe on a fielder's choice with one out. Woodruf flied out to right. Tyner slammed one to center which Jetty juggled and everybody advanced a pair of sacks. Ryan was safe on another error and two runs came over. Neely beat out his second hit of the inning and Kuhn walked. Neil walked. Thomas was safe on an error and Big Tot McCullough picked one over the right field fence, clearing the sacks--but oh, what's the use? Why continue?"<ref name=B21/>
In the game against Camp Benning (GA), Neill netted a home run with a fly ball to left field, which bounced off the outfielder's knee and over the fence.<ref>{{Closed access}} {{cite news|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/HistArchive/?p_product=EANX&p_theme=ahnp&p_nbid=C6EG60GWMTQxMTUwNzY1Ni4yNzY2OTg6MToxMzoxMzIuMTk4LjUwLjEz&p_action=doc&s_lastnonissuequeryname=14&d_viewref=search&p_queryname=14&p_docnum=59&p_docref=v2:1126154AC3F56D80@EANX-1195CA9AD18D87C0@2422830-1195CA9B11278678@5-1195CA9CB6153ED0@Benning%20Loses%20to%20Vanderbilt%20Ragged%20Fielding%20in%20Spots%20of%20Infantry%20School%20Fielders%20Causes%20Jones%20to|newspaper=Columbus Ledger|date=May 20, 1921|title=Benning Loses To Vanderbilt}}</ref>
Neill was ruled ineligible for baseball in 1922.
===Football=== Neill was also a prominent member of Dan McGugin's Vanderbilt Commodores football teams in 1920 and 1922, which had a win-loss-tie record of 12–3–2 over his two seasons, and won a Southern championship in 1922.
====1920==== Scotty Neill had fine punts, of 45 to 60 yards, in a 20–0 over the Tennessee Volunteers in the second week of play.<ref name="50Years">Russell, Fred, and Maxwell Edward Benson. Fifty Years of Vanderbilt Football. Nashville, Tennessee, 1938, p. 38</ref> In the second half of the final game, a 21–3 victory over the Sewanee Tigers, Neill punted the ball from the 35-yard line to the 4-yard line, picked up by Vanderbilt running back Grailey Berryhill and run into the end zone to score on a "bewildering" onside kick.<ref name="Downs">{{Closed access}} {{cite news|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/HistArchive/?p_product=EANX&p_theme=ahnp&p_nbid=G6EI5FUXMTQwNjAwOTI0MC4yMTU0ODM6MToxMzoxMzIuMTk4LjUwLjEz&p_action=doc&s_lastnonissuequeryname=29&d_viewref=search&p_queryname=29&p_docnum=52&p_docref=v2:11210D409F608820@EANX-117BC65756AF0D78@2422655-117BC657D52E1A98@12-117BC65A1B272048@Vandy%20Downs%20Sewanee%2C%2021-3.%20Aerial%20Passes%20and%20on-Side%20Kick%20Enable%20Commodores%20to%20Turn%20Tide|title=Vandy Downs Sewanee 21-3|newspaper=The Macon Daily Telegraph|date=November 26, 1920}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title = Vanderbilt Cracks Sewanee's Defense|date = November 26, 1920|work = Montgomery Advertiser}}</ref>
====1922==== In the second a game, a 33 to 0 victory over Henderson-Brown, the final score came late in the fourth quarter. Guard Garland Morrow broke through the line and jumped to block a punt, recovered by Neill for a touchdown.<ref name = "VandyArkansas">{{Closed access}} [http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/HistArchive/?p_product=EANX&p_theme=ahnp&p_nbid=W5EI4FONMTM1ODMzMzEzNy4zMDY4Njk6MToxNToxMzIuMTk4LjIyNC4yMDk&p_action=doc&s_lastnonissuequeryname=8&d_viewref=search&p_queryname=8&p_docnum=1&p_docref=v2:11210D409F608820@EANX-117BC6B1C2D2CB28@2423336-117BC6B290F53790@25-117BC6B645AC0E90@Vandy+Defeats+Arkansas+Team.+Although+Playing+Slovenly+Ball%2C+Commodores+Win+by+33-0 "Vandy Defeats Arkansas Team."] The Macon Daily Telegraph 8 Oct. 1922: 8.</ref> The next week saw the scoreless tie with the Michigan Wolverines at the dedication of Dudley Field, for which Neill was a starter. Before the game in which Vanderbilt was expected to lose, and had sustained many injuries in weeks prior, it was noted the more optimistic Vanderbilt faithful were excited for the return of Neill to the team.<ref name="Coaches">[http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/HistArchive/?p_product=EANX&p_theme=ahnp&p_nbid=Y5EG50WOMTM1ODI4MTUwNS4xMzIyNzE6MToxNDoxMzIuMTk4LjE1NC40OQ&p_action=doc&s_lastnonissuequeryname=2&d_viewref=search&p_queryname=2&p_docnum=2&p_docref=v2:1126154AC3F56D80@EANX-1192EDB7DD56D958@2423338-1192EDB81BF2ADA8@5-1192EDB9EE625038@Sports+Vandy+Coaches+Working+Hard "Vandy Coaches Working Hard."] Columbus Ledger 10 Oct. 1922: 6.</ref> His punting matching that of the famed Harry Kipke, with an average of some 42 yards per punt, was cited as a key feature of the contest.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=q-8-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=OU0MAAAAIBAJ&dq=vanderbilt%201922%20football&pg=5531%2C5533674|newspaper=The Tuscaloosa News|author=Zipp Newman|title=Southern Football History, Chapter 2|date=December 5, 1950}}</ref> Vanderbilt beat Texas the next week 20–10. Neill's punting again received praise.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.fold3.com/image/#99819198|newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution|title=Vandy Whips Texas Team|date=October 22, 1922}}</ref> He had punts of 60 and 55 yards that game. Neill had a penalty for slugging that game, for which he would have been ejected had Texas captain and center "Swede" Swenson not protested to keep Neill in the game.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth69312/m1/4/zoom/?q=vandy|newspaper=The Breckenridge Daily American|title=Longhorns Ready For Ala. University Sat|date=October 30, 1922}}</ref> In the next game, a 14–6 win over Tennessee, Neill out-punted the Volunteers on nearly every occasion.<ref>{{Closed access}} [http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/HistArchive/?p_product=EANX&p_theme=ahnp&p_nbid=W5EI4FONMTM1ODMzMzEzNy4zMDY4Njk6MToxNToxMzIuMTk4LjIyNC4yMDk&p_action=doc&s_lastnonissuequeryname=61&d_viewref=search&p_queryname=61&p_docnum=1&p_docref=v2:11B0124EA8AEC7F0@EANX-11BE5CB66F18D6C8@2423364-11BE5CB709E21338@31-11BE5CB932CD89F8@Tennessee+Fights+Hard%2C+but+Loses+to+Vanderbilt+Knoxville%2C+Tenn.%2C+Nov.+4 "Tennessee Fights Hard, but Loses to Vanderbilt."] The Montgomery Advertiser 5 Nov. 1922: 11.</ref> Neill was on Walter Camp's all names worthy of mention, listed with "punter" beside his name among the ends, as well as Billy Evans's Southern honor roll, the All-Southern team of Zipp Newman, sporting editor of the ''Birmingham News'',<ref>{{Closed access}} [http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/HistArchive/?p_product=EANX&p_theme=ahnp&p_nbid=W5EI4FONMTM1ODMzMzEzNy4zMDY4Njk6MToxNToxMzIuMTk4LjIyNC4yMDk&p_action=doc&s_lastnonissuequeryname=83&d_viewref=search&p_queryname=83&p_docnum=1&p_docref=v2:11B0124EA8AEC7F0@EANX-11BE5CF152AA9468@2423392-11BE5CF1B18FC650@18-11BE5CF36158B288@Selection+of+Mythical+All-Southern+Grid+Team+Difficult+Task%3B+Much+Star+Talent+of+Dixie+Elevens+This+Season+Covington+of+Centre "Selection of Mythical All-Southern Grid Team Difficult Task."] ''The Montgomery Advertiser'' 3 Dec. 1922: 10.</ref> and on the second team of All-Southerns chosen by Homer George, sporting editor for the ''Atlanta Constitution''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.fold3.com/image/#101028085|newspaper=The Atlanta Constitution|title=Fletcher, Georgia Star, And Barron at Halfback; Covington Quarterback|date=December 3, 1922}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}} {{Commons category|Scotty Neill}} {{1922 Vanderbilt Commodores football navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neill, Scotty}} Category:1895 births Category:1963 deaths Category:American football ends Category:American football punters Category:Vanderbilt Commodores football players Category:Vanderbilt Commodores baseball players Category:Vanderbilt University School of Medicine alumni Category:All-Southern college football players Category:Medical doctors from Alabama Category:Baseball players from Birmingham, Alabama Category:Players of American football from Birmingham, Alabama Category:20th-century American sportsmen