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   The best of the best in Alabama High   
  School Football over the past 100 seasons.






1949 Tuscaloosa Black Bears


 1949    Tuscaloosa Black Bears
 Record: 9-0-0
 Head Coach: Frank Swede Kendall
 
 The 1949 Tuscaloosa Black Bears were chosen Class A State Champions by the Alabama Journal
 

 
 

The 1949 Tuscaloosa Black Bears were led by head coach Frank Swede Kendall. Coach Kendall arrived at Tuscaloosa as the head man in 1939 but took off three seasons for war-time service before returning to lead the Black Bears on the gridiron. He had played end on the undefeated 1928 team. His assistants were Wheeler Leeth and Billy Henderson who would later win a title coaching the Black Bears in 1964.

Coach Kendalls previous stints at Brookwood, Pell City and Tuscaloosa County would give him the experience needed to guide the Black Bears. With a storied history of titles the expectations were high each and every season.

In 1949 the Tuscaloosa school system had changed their format for the school allowing a twelfth grade for the first time in the schools history. Had that not been the case 17 senior would have been ineligible for football practice come the fall of 1949. These 17 seniors were the heart of this team and made the difference between a great team and just another team. Seven of these seniors were offered scholarships at seasons end.

They outscores their opponents 233 -57 in completing a perfect 9-0 season.

Decatur and Tuscaloosa fought back and forth in the Alabama Journal polls all season. Decatur suffered a tie early with Gadsden but actually led in the next to final poll. In the final poll Tuscaloosa squeaked out a narrow lead and claimed the championship.

Millard Hardin a standout guard was the team captain in 1949. The team consisted of a total of 70 players with 35 on the traveling squad.



1949  Season
 Site   PF   Opponent   PA   W/L/T 
 48   Aliceville W
 33   Holt W
 19   Sidney Lanier W
 13   Woodlawn W
 24   Tuscaloosa County 19 W
 32   Parrish Selma 12 W
 32   Coffee W
    OPEN  
 20   Deshler W
 16   University City MO W
  
237 9-0-0 62
 Alabama Journal 
 Final Poll                           11/28/1949
 Rank   Team   Record   Votes    
1       Tuscaloosa  
2       Decatur  
3       West End  
4       Sidney Lanier  
5       Prattville  
6       Lanett  
7       Evergreen  
8       Escambia County  
9       Anniston  
10       McGill  


1949 Tuscaloosa All-State Players
 Jack SmalleyT A 1  Alabama Journal
 Steve HunterB A 3  Alabama Journal
 Tom DannerG A HM  Alabama Journal
 CrawfordB A HM  Alabama Journal
 Jack SmalleyT A 1  Alabama Journal
 Steve HunterB A 3  Alabama Journal
 RichardsonT A HM  Alabama Journal
 CrawfordB A HM  Alabama Journal


1949 Tuscaloosa All-Star Players
 All American   
 Jack Smalley T A  Alabama Journal
 All Southern   
 Jack Smalley T A  Alabama Journal
 AHSAA-University of Alabama All-Star Game   
 Buddy Cranford B A  Alabama Journal
 Jack Smalley LT A  Alabama Journal
 Steve Hunter B A  Alabama Journal




1949 Tuscaloosa Roster
NO. NAME POS. WT.
72 Sam Hay E 183
50 Ray Dean Cummings    
53 Charles Burroughs    
60 M.C. Fitts    
69 Knute Christian    
59 John Delbridge    
71 Tom Danner G 186
78 Billy Hobson T 203
70 Millard Hardin G 176
75 Jack Smalley T 203
64 Paul Mayers C 186
55 Charles Skinner    
65 Tommy Wheeler
52 Rex Spruiell E 147
51 Jimmy Davis    
62 Henry Wood    
63 Clyde Hill    
49 Dan Madison    
61 James Linebarger    
68 Cecil Ingram HB 157
47 Steve Hunter FB 148
48 Joe Barksdale HB 150
54 Buddy Cranford    
 6  Donald Holmes    
66 William Lawley    
67 Billy Tinsley QB 159
58 Clyde Wood    
57 Walter Flowers    
76 Barry Anderson    
77 Howard Burchfield    
5 Charles Helms    
73 Pat Wallace    
74 Hugh Thomas    
27 Eugene Davis    
36 Dodson Beatty    
20 Doyle Hughes    
38 Carroll Mink    
29 Jerry Wall    
21 Barbara Grant    
13 Jerry Wallace    
74 Howard Cooper    
72 John Richardson    
23 Gilbert Sanders    
25 Henry Prichertt    
17 Bryant Berryhill    
22 C.B. Burroughs    
47 James Hammond    
32 Mark Mathis    
18 John  Dill    
60 Billy Raiford    
24? Fred Brown    
37 Deorch Lee    
44 Charles Beauchamp    
31 Billy Brooks    
30 Jimmy Cooper    
39 Marcus Whitman    
26 Dickie Wilson    
11 Henry Ryan    
24 Ernest Compton    
12 Oliver Waddell    
28 John Joyner    
16 Lynn Wilson    
13 Monroe Hamner    
32 Pearson Palmore    
       


Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History

Hamilton shutout an amazing 14 consecutive opponents from 1928-1930. A streak that will never be matched in modern football.