“Pete’s Boys” from 60 years ago rekindled friendships, stirred memories and got a firsthand look at the amenities enjoyed by today’s Florida State football players.
Yet it was the enduring bond and shared experiences that continue to define the group.
“We didn’t realize how tough it was at the time, but it made us better players and better men,” said Bill Cappleman, 79, a quarterback who rewrote the Seminoles’ record book from 1967-69, in an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat on Saturday, June 20. “We were 17- and 18-year-olds trying to figure things out and what to do with our lives.
“It was so great to reconnect.”
About 100 attendees, including roughly 45 former players and coaches, returned to Tallahassee June 19-20 for a long-anticipated reunion honoring coach Bill Peterson’s teams of the late 1960s — a stretch widely regarded as the foundation of Florida State’s rise to national relevance.
The reunion was held at The Lodge at Wakulla Springs, the same site where those teams stayed the night before home games at Doak Campbell Stadium.
A centerpiece of the weekend was a three-hour session Friday devoted to revisiting — and good-naturedly poking fun at — the personalities and stories that defined Peterson’s program.
Former assistants Joe Gibbs and Bobby Jackson were among those who spoke, sharing memories that ranged from humorous to deeply emotional. Both had preserved many of those stories over the years, writing them down for moments like this.
“What the coaches had to say, how emotional they were about their time at FSU and how special it was — that stood out,” said Cappleman, who lives in Panama City. “We had a lot of fun with Coach Pete’s stories. Everyone loved him and respected him.”
‘Pete’s Boys’ tour FSU’s new football facility, renovated Doak
Cappleman and Howell Montgomery, a defensive back from Blountstown, were roommates at FSU – and have remained close over the years.
Montgomery also thoroughly enjoyed the reunion and reconnecting with former teammates – some he had not seen since his playing days even though the group has held previous reunions. There was a sense of urgency for this gathering as most players are in their late 70s, early 80s.
“We are all getting old,” said Montgomery, who turns 79 next month, with a laugh. “We were all kind of gimpy. But I think everyone really enjoyed it. Many of us spent four years together, and we went through hell and everything together – you really couldn’t get any closer.”
That camaraderie became a focal point as players compared their era with today’s — one often described as far more chaotic and selfish. The transfer portal and NIL have reshaped the game, altering both its identity and the sense of loyalty within it.
“With all that is going on, you just don’t build that athlete love you have for each other,” Montgomery explained. “I don’t think they can develop what we had.”
Added Cappleman: “I don’t see how it can be that same (closeness). A lot of situations are one-and-done. You are not going to have the camaraderie that we had with players and coaches. They are not going to get together and tell all these stories (we told this weekend) somewhere down the line.”
The group on Saturday also toured the Seminoles’ new $138 million standalone football operations facility, followed by a walk on the field at renovated Doak Campbell Stadium. The day concluded with lunch at Bowden’s restaurant in College Town.
“Honestly, I haven’t seen anything like it,” Montgomery said of the operations facility. “We didn’t even have a true weight room; that whole place was just unreal. The difference between then and now is tremendous. I couldn’t get over how clean, pristine it is.”
While proud of their accomplishments and the role they played in shaping FSU football history, the group remains Seminoles for life, still pulling for the program’s resurgence under coach Mike Norvell after consecutive losing seasons.
“With the technology and facilities, it’s a fantastic opportunity for these young men,” Cappleman said. “I like Mike and hope he and the team are successful.”
Jim Henry is Tallahassee Democrat sports editor. Email him at jjhenry@tallahassee.com.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football pioneers ‘Pete’s Boys’ reflect on legacy, brotherhood
Reporting by Jim Henry, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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By Jim Henry, Tallahassee Democrat | USA TODAY Network
