The Rammer Jammer: Rose Bowl Number

As the Alabama football team prepared to travel to California to play Stanford in the 1935 Rose Bowl against Stanford, the school's humor magazine, Rammer Jammer, published a football-themed issue to commemorate the occasion (Vol 12, No. 3; Dec. 1934). 

Filled with bawdy humor and bad jokes and campus gossip ("Endplaying Paul Bryant thinks occasionally of one Rosa Brooks, who, it has been said, thinks that 'Bear is so cute.'") the book also features an extended and decidedly irreverent take on team an their trip west. A good example is the suggested list of reasons to attend the contest in California.

REASONS FOR GOING TO THE "BOWL"
(For Personal Use)

1. To get drunk.
2. To eyeball the sweet jobs of the Sunshine state.
3. To be qualified to take an active part in fireside ox casting for the ensuing years.
4. To see the game (recommended for coaches, sports writers, photographers, etc.)

Parking at the 1938 Rose Bowl

Parking for the 1938 Rose Bowl was as much a challenge as it is for the modern game. A record crowd of 90,000 was on hand that New Year's Day to watch Alabama take on California.

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.