EncyclopediaBryant, Bear
Bryant, Bear (Paul Bryant) (brī'unt) [key], 1913–83, American football coach, b. Moro Bottom, Ark. The son of sharecroppers, he became a Southern culture hero through his football successes. After playing on the Rose Bowl–winning 1935 Univ. of Alabama team, he coached for 38 years at four Southern universities: Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M, and Alabama. At Alabama (1958–82), his “Crimson Tide” teams won or shared six national championships (1961, 1964–65, 1973, 1978–79). Bryant retired with 323 wins, the record for coaches in the top-rated Division I-A until Joe Paterno surpassed it in 2001.
See biography by A. Barra (2005).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
More on Bear Bryant from Infoplease:
- Paul (Bear) Bryant - Paul (Bear) Bryant Born: Sept. 11, 1913 Football coached at 4 colleges over 38 years; directed ...
- Charlie Bradshaw - Charlie Bradshaw Age: 75 former Kentucky and Troy State head football coach who, as an assistant, ...
- Phil Cutchin - Phil Cutchin Age: 78 former Oklahoma St. football coach (1963-68); never had a winning record, but ...
- Joe Paterno - Paterno, Joe Paterno, Joe (Joseph Vincent Paterno), 1926–, American football coach, b. ...
- Eddie Robinson - Robinson, Eddie Robinson, Eddie (Edward Gay Robinson), 1919–2007, African-American football ...
