week 9 hist of college football: Alabama

How many national championships did Bear Bryant win between 1961 and 1979?

6 national championships

What cultural representation did Alabama football embody for the South?

It represented the South and became synonymous with Southern identity.

What was the name of Alabama's marching band?

Pride of the South

What was the socio-economic condition of the South during the 1920s-1930s?

The South was poor, backwards, illiterate, not industrialized, very racist, and heavily segregated.

What significant event in 1926 helped improve Alabama's image?

Alabama was invited to the Rose Bowl against Washington.

What was the outcome of the Rose Bowl game for Alabama?

Alabama won, which excited the South and improved their image. Ppl crowded an area where players were too be dropped off after they came back

What did the Alabama president claim about the Rose Bowl victory?

He stated, 'we did it for the Anglo-Saxon race. Alabama upheld traditions of the south.'

What did Alabama football come to represent for the South?

Achievement,

legitimacy

pride

command respect.

What was Bear Bryant's background that made him relatable to his players?

He came from a small rural poor town and connected with country boys.

What was the 'Gentlemen's Agreement' in the context of Alabama football?

It was an agreement that non-integrated schools would not play integrated teams.

What was Bear Bryant's reputation outside of Alabama?

He was seen as a tyrant and a 'slave driver' by some.

How did the Civil Rights movement impact Alabama football?

The movement attacked the South, and football had previously given them a sense of pride.

What was Bear Bryant's stance during the Civil Rights movement?

He remained silent and did not publicly address the issues.

What did Jim Murray's article 'Bedsheets and 'Bama' discuss?

It highlighted the connection between Alabama football and the social context of the Civil Rights movement.

What was the significance of the 1964 national championship for Alabama?

It was a time when Alabama had something in common with other schools until 1969.

What was the impact of the bombing of a church in Birmingham in 1963?

It resulted in the deaths of four little girls and highlighted racial tensions.

What was the reaction of Alabama to JFK's visit to the Oklahoma team?

Alabama felt beaten and took it personally, leading them to integrate their program 10 years later.

What was the role of Southern politicians regarding college football?

They wanted to use college football to boost their state and maintain their way of life.

What was Bear Bryant's coaching philosophy regarding recruitment?

He focused on recruiting players from rural communities and validated their backgrounds.

What was the perception of Alabama football during the 1950s?

It was a symbol of Southern pride and resistance to change.

What did the success of Alabama football allow the South to maintain?

It allowed them to maintain their Southern way of life amidst social changes.

How did the Civil Rights movement affect the perception of Alabama football?

It challenged the previous pride associated with the sport and highlighted racial issues.

What did Bear Bryant's success in football provide for Southerners?

It provided them with dignity and respect through their achievements in sports.

what was Alabama looking for in a new coach?

1) good recruiter 2) know the south 3) someone with a national reputation - they got Bryant

why was Bryant popular?

1) he's a countryside, a small rural poor town so he connects with others

2) he recruits country boys

3) publicly praised the community where he recruited his boys from. He validated them

4) he represents older rural southern values (think Cracker Barrel)

5) he's a symbol of their values, their country with down to earth language and that southern drawl

6) all white teams are a symbol of the segregated south

7) a symbol of southern pride

Other significant thing at Rose Bowl

The game gave Alabama and the south to improve their image- not through mass media marketing campaign, through football

That game was so important in history of college football

Held in Cali

They marketed the game after the Civil War