MORO BOTTOM — A new historical marker was officially dedicated at the Cleveland County birthplace of one of America’s most legendary football coaches, Paul William “Bear” Bryant.
Bryant was born 111 years ago on Sept. 11, 1913, near where the newly erected marker now stands. He was the 11th of Monroe and Ida Bryant’s 12 children. After his high school days as a Fordyce Redbug, he went on to play football at the University of Alabama on teams that won the Southeastern Conference and national championships before going on to pursue a coaching career at Vanderbilt, Maryland, Kentucky and Texas A&M, then finally Alabama.
Bryant died Jan. 26, 1983, nearly a month after coaching his last game in the Liberty Bowl (Alabama defeated Illinois 21-15).
On Thanksgiving Day 1957, rumors swirled around Kyle Field at College Station, Texas, that Bryant was leaving a winning Texas A&M team for a struggling program at his Alabama alma mater. When asked why he would abandon a winning team for one on the ropes, Bryant famously said, “When you’re out playing as a kid and you thought you heard your momma call, if you thought she just needed you for some chores, you might not answer her. But if you thought she really needed you, you’d come running in a hurry. That’s the way I feel about this.”
He became head coach at Alabama in 1958, leading his players to a 323-85-17 record, making him the winningest coach in college football history at the time. With Bryant at the helm, Alabama appeared in 29 bowl games, won 14 SEC titles and six national championships.
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The organization responsible for placement of the monument is the Arkansas Historic Marker Program, established in 2017. It is a two-sided plaque with historically vetted text written by agency historian Revis Edmonds.
Ashley Sides is coordinator for the program and was present for the unveiling, which took place in late September. He said, “This is marker number 43 in the state within our current program and the sixth one in Cleveland County. Our efforts allow us to highlight important places in Arkansas and share stories of our heritage. Even in cases where historic structures may be gone, markers can recognize the importance of what once stood on the spot.” He further explained how it is not necessary for locales to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
“We let people come to us with their suggestions, then help them tell their stories,” Sides said. “We strive to enhance the quality of life in Arkansas and promote tourism around these various points of interest.”
In addition to Sides, several other Arkansas dignitaries were present, including Director of Arkansas Parks, Heritage and Tourism Shea Lewis, Director of Arkansas Heritage Marty Ryall, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program Director Scott Kaufman, House District 96 State Rep. Sonia Barker and Speaker of the House Matthew Shepherd.
Local officials on hand included former Dallas County Judge Jimmy Jones, current County Judge Chris Stanfield, Dallas County Sheriff Mike Knoedl, Fordyce School Superintendent Rhonda Lawson and Redbug coaches Tim Rodgers, Bobby McGhee and Anthony Socia along with the entire Redbug senior high football squad.
Sonia Barker initiated the program, saying, “It’s a glorious day to honor a Cleveland County native that did wonderful things in so many states. He was beloved by millions but we will always consider him as one of our own.”
Shepherd was next, saying, “I’m from El Dorado and grew up playing football. My family has roots here in this area. I can remember driving through Tuscaloosa with my grandparents a few years before Coach Bryant died and how proud they were to have come from the same area and experiences as the Bear. He shaped young boys into men and had a profound impact on our nation and the sport. I want to thank Ray Bryant and his family for helping keep the home place in shape and preserving the Bear’s memory.”
Shepherd further shared how he had been in attendance earlier in the week for the unveiling of a statue of Johnny Cash placed in Washington D.C.’s Statuary Hall. He said, “This week we’ve had the opportunity to recognize and honor two great figures, both from Cleveland County, who came and made their mark on the world. We stand here today on the same ground they walked, breathing the same air they breathed.”
He went on to explain how Bryant nearly became Razorback head coach until fate intervened in 1941. “He was assistant coach at Vanderbilt when he was invited to become head coach for Arkansas, but before he could make the move, Pearl Harbor was bombed and Coach Bryant joined the Navy.” After a brief pause, he added, “Oh, what might have been.”
Lewis shared his impressions with the nearly 100 attendants. “Everyone here today just adds to the great honor of this occasion. This place profoundly shaped the early life of a great man. While growing up here he learned the value of humility, perseverance and hard work. He also learned competitive spirit and the love of the game. He mentored generations of coaches and players, leaving a lasting legacy to the world.” He concluded, “Arkansas continually has opportunity to impact the world through our people and products that proves Arkansas to be such a great place.”
With a final word from the Bryant family, Jennifer Bryant Robinson, great-great-niece of Bryant, said, “Everyone has heard the story about how dedicated to his team Uncle Paul was that he played ball with a broken leg. But another lesser-known story about his kind and generous spirit is how when he was going to school in Alabama. He came home for Christmas and his sister Aunt Bessie slipped a $20 bill in his pocket unbeknownst to him to help a poor struggling student. A couple of days later she received a letter containing the 20 dollars. He had returned it because he knew she was struggling just as much as he was.”
Ray Bryant is a great-nephew to the coach. In a private discussion, he said, “I appreciate all this very much. And I want to thank Judge Jimmy Jones and Representative Jeff Wardlaw because without them, this would have never happened.” He added, “When the tornado hit Tuscaloosa in 2011, Judge Jones and Mayor MacNichol made sure Fordyce was one of the first cities to send donations to the storm victims and the Bryant family has never forgotten that.”
Bryant concluded, “Bear had a strong mother and that’s where he got a lot of his ideas about what he wanted to be.”
A large contingent of Bryant family members that still reside in the area were on hand for the recognition of their kinsman Paul “Bear” Bryant. (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)