Letner, who played for Vols from 1958-60, dies at age 72

Cotton Letner, a Tennessee football letterman from 1958-60, died Sunday in Chattanooga at 72.

Mr. Letner came to UT from Ten Mile after a stellar career at Meigs County High School.

He lettered in football for three years as an end and kicker for coach Bowden Wyatt and also lettered in track.

Mr. Letner graduated from UT with a degree in transportation and played in the Canadian Football League and briefly with the Buffalo Bills of the AFL in 1961.

His kicks loomed large in two 1959 Tennessee upset victories, 3-0 over No. 3 Auburn, and 14-13 over No. 1 LSU. He was second-team All-SEC in 1960 and played in the Blue-Gray Classic.

In 1999 he was named to the Chattanooga Times Free Press best 50 prep players in 50 years. He was inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

Mr. Letner is survived by his wife of 47 years, Bettye Redman Letner and daughter Pam McMillian.

Services are Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Heritage Funeral Home on East Brainerd Road. Burial is at 2 p.m. at Blevins Chapel Cemetery in Calhoun.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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