Career
He was a quarterback for the Vanderbilt Commodores football team Captain of the 1898 team Goodson led the team to its first conference title in 1897.
The team then played a contest with Virginia for the championship of the south, a tie.
The Nashville American reported that, "The Vanderbilt players were in a jolly humor yesterday with their miniature football pinned upon the labels of their coats. Joe Goodson, quarterback, was apparently out of training from a large ten-cent cigar he smoked, a gift of Benjamin Childers of Pulaski.
"Tab" Farrell had his hair cut and other members were more or less changed in appearance.".