"[4] As was typical in the 1930s, he played both offense and defense, posting multiple school records for interceptions.

[6][7] Mayberry was born on March 14, 1915, in Daytona Beach, Florida, and attended Mainland High School in his hometown.

[n 2] During the 1937 season, Mayberry also intercepted six passes when the Gators' opponents only threw 57 balls,[9][18] and was a first-team All-SEC selection by the conference coaches and sportswriters on behalf of the Associated Press.

[19][20] The 1937 team defeated the Georgia Bulldogs in their annual rivalry game for the first time in eight years.

[13] He also starred in a close loss to coach Pop Warner's Temple Owls,[23] keeping the 10,000 spectators "in an uproar for nearly three periods.

"[24] In fall 1937, scout Henry McLemore of the United Press wrote in a piece on Southern football: "And when the time comes to pick the outstanding players of the year it wouldn't be a bad idea to mention "Tiger" Mayberry, captain and halfback of Florida's team .

Wallace Wade, Bernie Moore, and Harry Mehre all told me that Mayberry was the best back in the South, one of the best they have seen in half a dozen years and certainly the best that Florida has produced in a decade.

"[26] Another sportswriter quipped, "The south says: All-America scouts should keep an eye on "Tiger" Mayberry, Florida back ...

[31] During this same time he was a tire salesman[31] and District Commissioner of the National semi-pro Baseball Congress.

He transferred to Pensacola Naval Air Station as an aviation cadet near the end of 1941, and joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve as a fighter pilot on July 2, 1942.