Longtime University of Florida sports information director and historian Norm Carlson died on Friday at 90.
Known affectionately as “Mr. C,” Carlson spent over 60 years ago leading the athletic program’s public relations department. Although he officially retired in 2022, he spent another decade as the official historian of the Florida Gators football team.
“Dad was recruited to Gainesville by Ray and Opal Graves, accepting his dream job in 1963 and never leaving,” son Doug Carlson, a former sportswriter at the Tampa Tribune, wrote Saturday, via the school. “He had opportunities in the NFL, in Major League Baseball and with countless other universities and bowl games because people liked him and he was good at what he did. But he was a Gator to his core and didn’t care if there was more money to be made elsewhere. He had found his home and he was smart enough to stay with the thing that made him happiest — being part of the Gator family.”
Carlson began his professional career as a sportswriter at the Atlanta Journal but eventually swapped sides and became Auburn’s sports information director in 1959. In 1963, he moved over to Florida and never really left.
“When the University of Florida was moved from Lake City to Gainesville in 1906, Norm Carlson was driving the lead wagon,” Steve Spurrier once said. Carlson was considered essential in helping Spurrier win the Spurrier win the Heisman Trophy in 1966, working the phones after each Florida game with national sports writers and sending film of the star quarterback to TV stations around the country.
“I’m gonna miss Uncle Norm,” Spurrier said Friday night, via the Orlando Sentinel. “Everybody loved Norm. He built relationships with the media throughout the country.”
In his career at the school, Carlson worked 462 consecutive Florida football games and attended over 5,000 practice sessions, often working the crowd of media members.
The Orlando Sentinel’s Mike Bianchi wrote about how when he was a student-reporter at UF, Carlson would make sure they got to eat lunch with the head football coach and get exclusive interviews with players. He also noted that Carlson would run a “press social” at the house of the head coach every Saturday night after home games so reporters could drink beers with the coach and get the inside scoop about why the team won or lost.
Naturally, there was an outpouring of tributes for Carlson on social media over the weekend.
He was “Mr. C.” to some. “Normie” to others. But Norm Carlson was a friend to all and a #Gators legend. ICYMI, a remembrance of a good man and consummate pro: https://t.co/AJhDZfalu8
— Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) May 12, 2024
Didn’t know Norm Carlson, sadly, but knew of him during my Florida days. My old colleague with a lovely tribute to a man and a bygone era in sports journalism. Had a very small taste of it with Breakfast with Bobby in Bowden’s final seasons. https://t.co/WWdCQf7H7H pic.twitter.com/SMrdkbCmeu
— Andrew Carter (@_andrewcarter) May 12, 2024
Norm Carlson was the best. So was the bygone era @BianchiWrites captures here. https://t.co/OrTiEP2oyE
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) May 12, 2024
When I got to the AJC in 1984 I asked Furman Bisher for some key names in the SEC. “Go see Norm Carlson. And listen.” I did. RIP
Every time I would go to Gainesvile I would go visit Norm to catch up on the Gators. Just a wonderful person who helped me more than I can say. RIP
— Tony Barnhart (@MrCFB) May 12, 2024
RIP to a truly wonderful human. Bottom line, Steve Spurrier doesn’t win the Heisman Trophy without the behind-the-scenes work of Norm Carlson. https://t.co/D3g0KP7VkK
— Joey Knight (@TBTimes_Bulls) May 11, 2024
Truly a legend in the industry. Rest in peace, Norm and condolences to the Carlson family. https://t.co/gXJStqDgiV
— Justin Barney (@JustinBarneyTV) May 11, 2024
[University of Florida, Orlando Sentinel]
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.