"[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 ...

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.

He was later sent to San Francisco, and from there to the Pacific Theater of Operations to fight against enemy Japanese forces.