SPORTS

Dodge's First Bulldog
By Joey Marchant
Governor Brian Kemp’s executive order providing that students not return to the classroom this year to help prevent the spread of the
novel corona virus effectively ended the high school baseball season in Georgia and with it the careers of seven
Dodge County seniors. I will be back next week to take a closer look at these seniors.
For now, here is a story about Dodge County’s first football star.
Over the years, Dodge County has sent many players to the University of Georgia.
The late Jimmy Harper was a two time All SEC offensive lineman who won a national championship and blocked for Herschel Walker in the
early 1980s. At a time when offensive linemen were much smaller than today, Harper stood 6’6” and weighed 280
pounds earning him the nickname “The Mountain.”
Maurice Harrell was a 6’3” strong safety from Dodge County who transitioned to tight end for coach Ray Goff
in the early 1990s. Kalvin Daniels earned a spot in Athens as a walk on running back for coach Mark
Richt from 2007-2009 where he made the Dean’s List while competing against Knowshon Moreno and Thomas Brown.
Most recently, Chauncey’s Leonard Floyd played under coach Richt becoming the ninth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and signing
a multimillion-dollar contract with the Chicago Bears. After being released by the Bears recently, Floyd signed a oneyear deal with the Los Angeles
Rams worth $10 million. With incentives, Floyd could earn $13 million this year.
However, Dodge’s first Bulldog is little known today. David Roscoe Peacock was born in Dodge County on March 15, 1890. At some
point, he picked up the nickname “Emp” and was known by this moniker throughout his time in Athens. Emp starred at the offensive guard
position and blocked for Georgia’s first All American and College Football Hall of Famer Bob McWhorter. Emp was named All Southern in
1911 and 1912. He was chosen as captain of the 1912 team.
The Athens Banner Herald called Emp “one of the most aggressive linemen in the South.” Emp weighed only
185 pounds. He also played baseball at Georgia and was very involved in campus life. After graduating in 1912,
Emp returned to campus as an assistant coach in 1913, and he later coached football at Mercer.
Not only was Emp a leader on the football field, Emp was a leader of men as well. Emp earned a Bachelor’s Degree in
Law from the University of Georgia, and he then earned a Master’s Degree in Law from the University of Michigan.
Emp soon returned to Eastman where he practiced law before being elected to the State Senate and chosen to
serve as president pro tempore in 1916. At the young age of 26, Emp was the second in command of the Georgia
State Senate. He served only one term. Emp’s leadership continued when he resigned as State Senator to serve his country in World War I. The following
is Emp’s letter of resignation written to Governor Hugh Dorsey and published in the Atlanta Constitution: “Dear Governor: Realizing that the
country needs every available man possible in the military service at this time, and that there are other men that cannot
go to the front for various reasons and who can serve the State of Georgia in her legislative halls, I am tendering my
resignation as State Senator from the Fifteenth Senatorial District. With kindest regards to you and Mrs. Dorsey, I am
your friend D. Roscoe Peacock.” Emp served for two years in Europe participating in several major offensives.
How many today would resign their position to join the military in time of war?
Emp returned home to Eastman where he practiced law after the war. He married Mary Jane Kingery of Emanuel County, and the couple had
the first of their three children in Eastman. Emp chose to run for congress in 1920 against incumbent William Washington Larson of Laurens County,
but the football and war hero could not even carry his home county of Dodge as he was soundly defeated. Perhaps
Emp felt betrayed because he left Dodge County a few years later for Bradenton, Florida. The Tampa suburb was in those days about the
size that Eastman is today. There he practiced law, invested in real estate, raised cattle and lived what appears to have been a quiet life. The
Army veteran checked into Bay Pines V.A Hospital in Saint Petersburg, Florida in 1944 where he later died at the age of 54.
In the Butts Mehre Heritage Hall on the campus of the University of Georgia, there is located a touch screen
interactive display which allows visitors to place their fingers on a map of Georgia and see former football lettermen from each county.
Touching Dodge reveals no mention of Emp Peacock. It’s as if the pages of time have erased Ole Emp Peacock from the memories of
Dodge County citizens, but from what I can tell, he represented Dodge well throughout the state, the nation and the world.