6 9 , ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁S math ers ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Atlantic ▁City , ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁L ura ▁Frances ▁( J ones ) ▁and ▁Benjamin ▁Franklin ▁S math ers . ▁His ▁uncle , ▁William ▁H . ▁S math ers , ▁was ▁a ▁U . S . ▁sen ator ▁representing ▁New ▁Jersey . ▁His ▁family ▁moved ▁to ▁Miami , ▁Florida , ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁where ▁he ▁attended ▁Miami ▁High ▁School . ▁He ▁then ▁attended ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Florida , ▁where ▁he ▁earned ▁his ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁and ▁law ▁degree . ▁At ▁Florida , ▁he ▁was ▁president ▁of ▁his ▁frat ern ity ▁S igma ▁Al pha ▁E psilon ▁( F lor ida ▁U psilon ▁chapter ), ▁captain ▁of ▁the ▁G ators ▁basketball ▁team , ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁student ▁body , ▁and ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁Florida ▁Blue ▁Key ; ▁he ▁was ▁induct ed ▁into ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Florida ▁Athlet ic ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame . ▁After ▁comple ting ▁his ▁LL . B . ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁S math ers ▁returned ▁to ▁Miami , ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁Ass istant ▁United ▁States ▁Att orney ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Marine ▁Corps . ▁ ▁S math ers ▁was ▁a ▁child hood ▁friend ▁of ▁Philip ▁Graham , ▁a ▁fellow ▁Flor id ian . ▁Graham