Paul W. Bryant: Beauty Pageant Emcee

Paul W. Bryant serving as the master of ceremonies at a beauty contest.

The 1926 Tournament of Roses Parade

Photo: UCLA Library Digital Collections

Two girls dressed as flowers in front of a float presented at the 1926 Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena. Alabama defeated Washington 20-19 in the Rose Bowl game later that day.

The 1931 Rose Bowl

Film of the 1931 Rose Bowl between Alabama and Washington State taken by photographer Ralph Hutchison.  Bette Bohler, the granddaughter of Washington State College Athletic Director Doc Bohler donated the film to Washington State University in 2012.

It shows the Cougars' pre-game warm ups, the school's band performing and then the Washington State team running onto the field. Then there is a meeting between Alabama captain Charles "Foots" Clement (in white) and WSU captain Elmer Schwartz and Rose Bowl sponsor Irene Dunne. The final two minutes of the video consists primarily of shots of the game as well as of the Cougars' sideline.

Alabama won the game 24-0 and claimed the National Championship.

George Corley Wallace: Pugilist

Wallace (right) and Bart Tatmio were teammates on
University of Alabama boxing team in 1941.

As a young man, Alabama's notorious future governor, George Wallace, was noted for his skills as a boxer. He won the state the state Golden Gloves bantamweight championship two years in a row while a student at Barbour County High School. Wallace enrolled in the University of Alabama Law School in 1937 and put himself through school as a professional boxer as well as other odd jobs. He also was also a member of the UA boxing team eventually being named the squad's captain.

The 1940 UA boxing team.

Bama Whip LSU

Photo from The Alabama Digital Archives

The parade through Tuscaloosa prior to the 1947 game against LSU. The sign on the cage reads "Mike Captured by Bama." The Crimson Tide bested the Bayou Bengals 41-12. The victory earned the two-loss Crimson Tide a bid to the Sugar Bowl to face the University of Texas.

The 1946 Rose Bowl Drive Chart

The drive chart and stats for Alabama's 34-14 victory over the University of Southern California in the 1946 Rose Bowl. The information was compiled and drawn by Ward Nash, a pioneering sports statistician from Los Angeles.

Charles Bernier: The Father of Alabama Homecoming

Orville Rush, president of the Washington D.C. UA Alumni group;
former UA President George H. Denny; former Alabama halfback
Johnny Mack Brown and UA Alumni Secretary Charles Bernier at the
1950 homecoming victory against Mississippi State (14-7).

Alabama's first Homecoming game was on Nov. 13, 1920, a 21-0 victory against LSU. The event was the brainchild of UA Athletic Director Charles Bernier who had arrived at The Capstone that year from Virginia Tech. He took over organizing many of the school's homecoming activities when he became the alumni secretary in 1942. Bernier, who coached baseball and basketball when he first arrived in Tuscaloosa, is also credited as introducing grant-in-aid scholarships at the school.