A University of Florida football Hall of Famer who went on to careers in politics and real estate has died following a brief illness.
Larry Libertore was a star quarterback, punt returner and safety for the Gators in the early 1960s. He was inducted into the UF Hall of Fame in 2005. Libertore was one of the smallest players in major college football, at the time he stood 5-foot 8-inches and weighed just under 140 pounds.
Libertore served four years in the Florida House and eight years on the Polk County Commission.
In 1974, he founded his own real estate firm, Larry Libertore Inc. His commercial and residential developments included the residential portion of Eaglebrook golf community. He was also president of ADLIB Inc., a builder of commercial and residential buildings.
Libertore was 78.