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Bear Bryant, also known as Paul “Bear” Bryant, was an iconic figure in the realm of American college football. Born on September 11, 1913, in Moro Bottom, Arkansas, Bryant carved a legendary career as a player and coach, leaving an indelible mark on the sport. With his strong presence, impeccable leadership skills, and intense dedication, he became one of the most successful and revered coaches in the history of college football. Throughout his career, Bryant amassed numerous accolades, shattered records, and influenced countless players and coaches alike. This introduction will delve into the extraordinary life and career of Bear Bryant, celebrating his impact on the game and his lasting legacy.
(1913-1983)
Who Was Bear Bryant?
Bear Bryant starred his football career playing for the University of Alabama. After successful coaching stints at Maryland, Kentucky and Texas A&M, he won six national championships over 25 years with Alabama, and retired with a record 323 wins in 1982. Bryant died in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on January 26, 1983 — one month after coaching his final game.
Younger Years
Paul William “Bear” Bryant was born on September 11, 1913, in the community of Moro Bottom, outside Fordyce, Arkansas. The 11th of William Monroe and Dora Ida Kilgore Bryant’s 12 children, he grew to an imposing 6’1″ and 180 pounds by age 13, earning his famous nickname by agreeing to wrestle a bear from a traveling circus.
Bryant was an offensive lineman and defensive end for Fordyce High School, earning all-state honors for the 1931 Arkansas High School Football State champions. He went on to play at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, where, despite being the “other end” opposite future NFL Hall of Famer Don Hutson, he was twice named to the all-Southeastern Conference third team and once to its second team.
Early Coaching Career
After graduating in 1936, Bryant became an assistant coach at Alabama for four years and Vanderbilt University for another two. He joined the U.S. Navy after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, his service time bookended by stints as coach of preflight training school football teams in Georgia and North Carolina.
Named the head coach of the University of Maryland shortly before his discharge in 1945, Bryant went 6-2-1 in his lone season with the Terrapins. He then enjoyed a successful eight-year run at the University of Kentucky, highlighted by a 1950 season in which the Wildcats ended the University of Oklahoma’s 31-game winning streak and he was named the SEC Coach of the Year.
At the start of his first year as head coach of Texas A&M University in 1954, Bryant put his team through an infamously brutal training camp at an agricultural station in Junction, Texas. Two-thirds of the players quit before camp ended, and the Aggies went 1-9 to give Bryant his only losing season as a head coach, but those who remained formed the core of the undefeated unit that won the 1956 Southwest Conference championship.
Alabama Icon
Bryant returned to his alma mater in 1958 as head football coach and athletic director, his five wins that year surpassing the team’s output from the previous three seasons. Pacing the sidelines in his trademark houndstooth hat, he established the Crimson Tide as college football’s team to beat over the following decade, winning the national championship in 1961, ’64 and ’65.
When the program began to sputter late in the decade, Bryant updated his offensive system and recruited the school’s first Black players. The result was a return to dominance, with the Tide winning the national championship in 1973, ’78 and ’79.
Bryant wrapped up his legendary career in December 1982 with a then-college football-record 323 victories. Along with his record-tying six national titles, he won 15 conference championships and was named the College Football Coach of the Year three times.
Death and Legacy
Less than one month after his final game, Bryant died of a heart attack at Tuscaloosa’s Druid City Hospital on January 26, 1983. The following month, President Ronald Reagan posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In 1986, Bryant was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, and the College Football Coach of the Year Award was renamed in his honor. He was named the coach of the Sports Illustrated all-century college football team in 1999, and to many he remains the ultimate symbol of coaching excellence at the collegiate level.
QUICK FACTS
- Name: Bear Bryant
- Birth Year: 1913
- Birth date: September 11, 1913
- Birth State: Arkansas
- Birth City: Moro Bottom
- Birth Country: United States
- Gender: Male
- Best Known For: American college football coach Bear Bryant won six national championships at the University of Alabama and retired with a then-record of 323 wins
- Industries
- Football
- Astrological Sign: Virgo
- Schools
- University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
- Nacionalities
- American
- Interesting Facts
- Bear Bryant received 1 1/2 votes for the Democratic presidential nomination at the party’s 1968 national convention in Chicago.
- Bear Bryant died one month after coaching his final game, on January 26, 1983.
- Death Year: 1983
- Death date: January 26, 1983
- Death State: Alabama
- Death City: Tuscaloosa
- Death Country: United States
Fact Check
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CITATION INFORMATION
- Article Title: Bear Bryant Biography
- Author: Biography.com Editors
- Website Name: The Biography.com website
- Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/bear-bryant
- Access Date:
- Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
- Last Updated: April 27, 2021
- Original Published Date: April 2, 2014
QUOTES
- I don’t want ordinary people,I want people who are willing to sacrifice and do without a lot of those things ordinary students get to do. That’s what it takes to win.
In conclusion, Bear Bryant was a true legend in the world of college football. His incredible coaching career spanned over four decades, during which he led the University of Alabama to unprecedented success and transformed the football program into a powerhouse. Bryant’s remarkable ability to develop players and create a winning culture cemented his status as one of the greatest coaches of all time. Beyond his coaching prowess, Bryant’s dedication to integrity, discipline, and hard work left a lasting impact on both his players and the sport itself. His impressive record of six national championships and numerous individual honors further solidify his place in football history. Even after his retirement, Bear Bryant’s legacy continues to inspire future generations of coaches and players. His passion for the game and unwavering commitment to excellence will forever be remembered, making Bear Bryant an emblematic figure in the annals of college football.
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