Amazing Fun Facts About Alabama Crimson Tide Football
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Alabama started playing football in 1892, In their first game, they defeated a group of high school players 56-0 on a baseball diamond in Birmingham. One high school player said, “We could have took ’em, but we never played the game before, and Johnny kept running the bases like he was in a baseball game. When he wasn’t on the field he was throwing passes in the bull pen. I don’t think he ever quite got it.”
In 1896, The University’s leaders banned squads from traveling off campus to compete. I’m not sure I would have wanted to travel off campus in 1896 anyway. Cars were not even invented yet. “Yeah, we have a game with Auburn,” one player lamented. I’m just throwing my football gear on my horse. I didn’t have any place for my helmet. so I put it on his head. Turns out we short one guy so we put the horse in at linebacker. He ended up lettering in three varsity sports.”
In the early years, the Alabama football teams were not near as strong as they are now. After one Georgia Tech game, the Tech coach said, “Your football team isn’t worth a nickel, buy you have a million dollar band.” To this day, the band at Alabama had been known as the Million Dollar Band. A band member said, “Well, I don’t play any horns, or drums. I play the triangle. So I’m worth about 8 dollars of the million dollars. But, it’s a solid 8.”
