re: The truth about Bear Bryant

And now THE truth. Quotes from Dr. Frank A. Rose, President of the University of Alabama who hired Coach Bryant.

"It's true that Bear worked very closely with me behind the scenes to bring about integration and to follow the court orders," he said. "You must remember, these were dangerous times, fearful times.

"I remember going down to Montgomery to talk with Governor Wallace. Now Bear wasn't contemptuous of the Governor; he was friendly with him, but like me, differed on his racial position."

"In the fall of 1963, Bull Connor, the police chief in Birmingham, called me to the mayor's office there. It concerned an upcoming Alabama football game that was going to be played there. Bear came with me. Connor told us that no tickets were going to be sold to blacks. Bear and I told him that we'd never play any more football games in Birmingham. Connor said, 'Well, I guess I really didn't mean it.'

"Bear said to him, 'And if any black person is hurt or a rock thrown at him, we'll never come back.' The game was played, and blacks came and there were no incidents.''

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