Joe Grant is a native of Andalusia, Alabama and graduated from Auburn University. Grant came to Coffee High School in 1947 from Andalusia. Grant accepted a position as an assistant football and head baseball coach. His baseball teams won over 80% of their games playing in the State Finals 4 times during his tenure. His American Legion baseball teams never had a losing record in 16 years; playing in the State Tournament eight times. In 1958, Grant replaced Hayden Riley, who resigned to take a position as an assistant football and basketball coach at Alabama. His teams were 77-36-5 over the next 12 years. His teams won 3 Tennessee Valley Conference Championships and one State Championship in football. In 1959 he was named 3-A Coach of the Year by the Birmingham Post Herald. The 1964 Coffee team finished 10-0 and was named State Champions by the Associated Press voters in a statewide poll. Grant served as the manager of Braly Stadium for 20 years. He developed and supervised the plans for the newly renovated stadium. He passed away December 3, 2005 in Palm Springs, California at the age of 84. He had been living with his daughter for a few weeks. |