Hall of Fame
John Gordon Burns was a mainstay on campus during his years at Cumberland, captaining not just one varsity team, but three. In 1912 Cumberland did not have a football team, meaning he earned eleven letters over his four years of collegiate competition, from baseball, football, and basketball.
His highlight from his playing career was a 42 point performance where Cumberland fell just short to Vanderbilt University. Burns was also team manager for all three varsity teams, and played a role in the infamous 222-0 loss to Georgia tech. It is worth noting that managers played a significant role in athletics at the time, being in charge of scheduling games and other travel requirements.
