News Articles From When Coach Bryant Returned To Alabama

Many times - and rightly so - we disparage the modern social media world in which we live. Whether it's the forbidden subject (a popular one on NS) or (more to the point) college coaching searches, we LIKE to think there was REALLY a more "innocent" time when men were men and a man's word was his bond and the press didn't stir up a ruckus by writing rumors about "this coach" going to "that school" year round.

This mythical time NEVER existed save in the pleasant, Crimson-colored (SWIDT?) eyeglasses through which we view the past.

Recently, I purchased access to hundreds of years of online newspapers (those of you under 30 might not know what I'm talking about) for a low fare and began doing random searches that has turned up articles AT THE TIME for almost any subject you wish. And the good thing is that even though MOST of the papers are "local" (e.g. no WaPo or NYT), news at the time relied heavily on the AP (back when it actually was worth something) and the UPI so you get the SAME STORIES everywhere just with different titles.

I thought some of you might find the story of the 1957 coaching search that brought Coach Bryant home when "Mama called." Be forewarned: some of this will NOT play into the myths you've heard. Bryant's verbiage will be NO DIFFERENT than dozens of other coaches during the social media time frame, including Urban Meyer quitting to "spend time with the family" and "watch my kids grow" only to see them apparently get entirely through adolescence in one year. Or Coach Saban's infamous remark that got him forever labeled. Or Tommy Tuberville's comment about the pine box.

Don't hold it against the Great One. I recall reading a book that was written in the early 70s (I read it in October 1984, right at the movie "The Bear" was becoming a big thing - in fact, I read it the week Hexum accidentally killed himself) about Bryant's anger and frustration because he was trying to win a national championship at ATM. My purpose is IN NO WAY to impugn Coach Bryant (for Pete's sake, I have a mural of Bryant on my wall that has been carried with my everywhere for almost 30 years now); my purpose is to show you firsthand (for those who weren't there) that things weren't "really" any better in terms of people and the press, etc even 60 years ago. Some of you alive at the time will recall this vividly and there will be other details you didn't know (most likely).

The first article comes from "The Charleston Gazette News" on the date of April 8, 1957. An article on the same page predicted the Cincinnati Reds would win the NL pennant that year (and, in fact, that was the year that Redlegs fans stuffed the MLB All-Star ballot box, resulting in the vote being taken away from the fans until 1970). The other lead sports story that day (a Monday) was about Doug Ford winning the Master's golf tournament. The other lead story (that wasn't political anyway) was the front page story about the law enforcement hunt for an Iranian bandit named Dadshah, who had sacrificed his pregnant wife by killing her because she was delaying his getaway.

The world hasn't REALLY changed that much...

But this story also ran that day....





Rumor is planted that Coach Bryant may leave ATM to coach Alabama.

"The Alabama coaching staff is split into so many factions that a blow-up is bound to come soon....."

(This is not an article from the Dubious Era btw.....)

The Aggies began 1957 ranked ninth in the country, a drop from their final poll ranking of 5 at the end of 1956. Oklahoma was the 1957 pre-season number one.

On October 21, 1957, the Aggies had moved all the way up to number two in the poll behind the Sooners with five first-place votes. And it was right about now that rumors began circulating that Bryant was going to bolt ATM when the season ended. Bryant's defense had recorded three shutouts in five games, surrendered only 19 total points with 3 double-digit wins, and they had just beaten TCU (coincidentally coming off a 28-0 win over Alabama the previous week), 7-0 in Ft Worth.


On October 23, the AP reported Bryant's denial. On October 24, 1957 - three weeks after Sputnik - the Lubbock Evening Journal published Bryant's denial. And the denial could hardly have been any stronger.




Bryant told Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall that rumors of him leaving ATM are "absolutely untrue." Bryant further stated that although he had not been asked by the University for a recommendation that IF they did, he would recommend two names: Harry Gilmer or Va Tech's Frank Mosley. Bryant further said - per Marshall - that he had a long-term contract and was happy in Aggieland.


Note: this ALSO appeared in The Anniston Star of the same date as well as papers in Galveston and Amarillo.

The weekend after the first rumor broke, ATM went out and blanked Baylor, 14-0, a win so impressive to the pollsters that - combined with OU's narrow escape of Colorado - the pollsters moved the Aggies to the number one ranking in the whole USA.

On November 11, the Aggies were still ranked number one, with an 8-0 record and heading up to Houston to play #20 Rice. On November 16, the UP (the pre-1958 name of the UPI) reported that Bryant continued to deny interest AND SO DID ALABAMA but the report insinuated the press knew better.

Two different stories ran on November 16 - the day of the showdown with Rice - but the gist of both was the same:

First Story from Oakland Tribune:



Second Story from Ogden Standard Examiner (a bit more saucy):




Naturally, it affected the Aggies and they lost to Rice, the eventual SWAC champion, 7-6.

Inserted note: On October 29, 1957, the University of Alabama appointed a committee headed by Tuscaloosa banker (and former university financial official) Ernest Williams to find a replacement for J.B. "Ears" Whitworth, whose contract was due to expire on December 1, 1957. Whitworth was NOT (technically anyway) fired, but he was informed his contract would not be renewed.

Here are the names listed on the Alabama coaching search that day:
Bryant
Wade Walker (Miss St)
Jim Tatum (N Carolina)
Henry Sanders (UCLA)

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A week later - the Saturday off week between the Rice and the Texas game - the stakes rose higher when Coach Bryant TURNED DOWN the Alabama job (at least according to media reports of November 23):




One note to make: this is the ONLY source I could find explicitly claiming Bryant TURNED DOWN the Alabama job. Given the difficulties of communication in 1957 and the fact the source (European Stars and Stripes) was located overseas in Germany it is at least theoretically possible that this story ran without having the facts and later had to backtrack. However, i find no recanting of the story.

On November 30, after losing to Texas, Bryant accepted the Gator Bowl bid against Tennessee. He also DECLINED COMMENT on rumors that he would be the new Alabama coach, neither affirming or denying.

Let me back up a bit.

Coach Bryant's trip from College Station to Tuscaloosa followed a path that, quite frankly, was not much different than many after it and (probably) not different from many before. Long before a season starts, his name gets floated for a job. Nothing happens. As more time goes by and the job the coach allegedly wants/should take becomes more likely to be available, the rumors increase. The first question elicits a flat denial. The second time it gets an even firmer denial. The third time we basically get, "I'm not gonna be the Alabama coach." And then - as the day gets closer - the story begins to change and the denial becomes softer.

On the morning of the Texas game in 1957, the Galveston Daily News ran a story that would become quite famous with its phrase in later years. Noting that Bryant's denials in the two weeks since the Rice loss were less convincing, Bryant now does a 90 degree pivot and backs off of his earlier denials by suggesting the possibility he might take it because......"Mama called."

On Monday, December 1, 1957, the news began to trickle out that Bryant was the new Alabama coach. President Frank Rose, while not denying it, did not exactly come out an affirm it, either on that day. But it was clear NLT than December 3 that Bryant was for sure a Capstone coach. Quite frankly, Christmas came early for the Tide faithful that year.

MN-Tide said:

He gave up a 7-year contract at $15,000 a year to come to Alabama...hope they gave him a raise!

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Btw - Auburn was voted national champions on the same day Bryant was released from his ATM contract. It's like that was the LOWEST EBB in the history of Alabama football - ever.

Dr Frank Rose was in the hospital in Kentucky fwiw - that was also part of the press mix-up on the story.

On December 3, 1957, it was announced Alabama was dropping TCU from the 1958 schedule while adding Furman and Memphis State.

Bryant's first contract, signed 12/3/1957 was for ten years at $17,500 per year. Given how much less it cost to live in Alabama than Texas, that was a substantial raise for that time. Median income in 1957 was about $5,000 per year, about the same as making $32,000 nowadays.

CullmanTide said:

Alabama could have paid him $20,000 and got their money's worth. LOL

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Bryant allegedly said to make his salary slightly less than whatever President Rose made so as to not give the gripers another reason to gripe.