Yesterday I was talking with a local acquaintance. When he learned I’m an Alabama alum, he proceeded to tell me his Alabama story which I found interesting. Here goes…
He was a student at U. of Richmond in 1961. He said Richmond played Bama in Tuscaloosa that year. Furthermore, a professor at U of Richmond had several tickets and wanted to go to the game but for whatever reason couldn’t drive. The professor offered a few students meals and tickets if they would drive him to the game. My acquaintance and a couple of other guys took him up on the offer.
He said there were very few Richmond supporters in the crowd at Denny Stadium (it wasn’t B-D then), but he recalls being treated extremely well by Bama fans… at least in the stands. What happened on the field was a massacre. He said Coach Bryant seemed to be playing everyone but the waterboy and Bama still scored over 60 points. Furthermore, he said he’d never seen anyone play with such intensity as this linebacker named Darwin Holt.
The next week, back in school in Richmond, he spoke with some of the football players he knew. The players all said they’d never been hit as hard in their life as when Darwin Holt hit ‘em. What made it even more exasperating to them was that Holt didn’t seem to be that big a guy… but he packed a huge wallop.
The story continues. He said not long afterwards he was in a camp (ROTC perhaps…) and Billy Neighbors was in his unit. When he told Neighbors about his Alabama experience and related what the Richmond players said about Darwin Holt, Neighbors told this story…
He said Holt was a walk-on. Bryant liked to “sort out” the walk-ons real early to see who really wanted to play. Accordingly, Holt was the target in a bull-in-the-ring drill. Holt was holding his own at first… but finally someone got a clean shot at him and planted him. Holt jumped up, ripped the guy’s helmet off, and smacked him a couple of times. Then, seeing the Bear approaching and perhaps fearing Bear was about to kick him off the field, Holt took off running. Bear eventually caught up to him and said “Son, you can play for me anytime!”
Obviously I’m in no position to vouch for this story… But the man telling it is not the sort who would make stuff up. Furthermore, 50 years have passed since my acquaintance experienced the game and later was told the Holt story by Neighbors so details could have gotten murky. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it immensely and decided to share it with you.
He was a student at U. of Richmond in 1961. He said Richmond played Bama in Tuscaloosa that year. Furthermore, a professor at U of Richmond had several tickets and wanted to go to the game but for whatever reason couldn’t drive. The professor offered a few students meals and tickets if they would drive him to the game. My acquaintance and a couple of other guys took him up on the offer.
He said there were very few Richmond supporters in the crowd at Denny Stadium (it wasn’t B-D then), but he recalls being treated extremely well by Bama fans… at least in the stands. What happened on the field was a massacre. He said Coach Bryant seemed to be playing everyone but the waterboy and Bama still scored over 60 points. Furthermore, he said he’d never seen anyone play with such intensity as this linebacker named Darwin Holt.
The next week, back in school in Richmond, he spoke with some of the football players he knew. The players all said they’d never been hit as hard in their life as when Darwin Holt hit ‘em. What made it even more exasperating to them was that Holt didn’t seem to be that big a guy… but he packed a huge wallop.
The story continues. He said not long afterwards he was in a camp (ROTC perhaps…) and Billy Neighbors was in his unit. When he told Neighbors about his Alabama experience and related what the Richmond players said about Darwin Holt, Neighbors told this story…
He said Holt was a walk-on. Bryant liked to “sort out” the walk-ons real early to see who really wanted to play. Accordingly, Holt was the target in a bull-in-the-ring drill. Holt was holding his own at first… but finally someone got a clean shot at him and planted him. Holt jumped up, ripped the guy’s helmet off, and smacked him a couple of times. Then, seeing the Bear approaching and perhaps fearing Bear was about to kick him off the field, Holt took off running. Bear eventually caught up to him and said “Son, you can play for me anytime!”
Obviously I’m in no position to vouch for this story… But the man telling it is not the sort who would make stuff up. Furthermore, 50 years have passed since my acquaintance experienced the game and later was told the Holt story by Neighbors so details could have gotten murky. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it immensely and decided to share it with you.
