December 30, 1939

The Blue-Gray All-Star Football Classic was a college football game from 1938 to 2004 featuring top senior players from across the nation, all but the final year being played in Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl. Rivals Frank Thomas of the University of Alabama and Jack Meagher of Auburn University coached the Gray squad for the first game, which the Blue won 7-0. The second game was played Dec. 30, 1939 and the South team won 33-20. The game was championed by nationally known sportswriter Grantland Rice, with attendance steadily growing through the years and the game often being on Christmas. Notable coaches included Bear Bryant, Shug Jordan, Bobby Dodd, Duffy Daugherty, Bob Devaney and Ara Parseghian. Top players through the years included Y.A. Tittle, Bart Starr, Fran Tarkenton, Len Dawson, Howie Long and Jerry Rice.

Read more at Encyclopedia of Alabama.

Artist’s sketch of the Cramton Bowl, 1921. (From “How Crampton Bowl Will Look after it is Completed”, Montgomery Advertiser, Nov. 20, 1921; Wikipedia)

Aerial view of Cramton Bowl in Montgomery during a baseball game, c. 1920-1939. (U.S. Army Air Service, Alabama Department of Archives and History, Wikipedia)

Grantland Rice in his Vanderbilt uniform, c. 1901. (Commodore History Center, Wikipedia)

Francis William Thomas (1898-1954) was coach of the University of Alabama football program from 1931 through 1946, winning two national championships while amassing a record of 115 wins, 24 losses and 7 ties. (From Encyclopedia of Alabama, courtesy of Paul W. Bryant Museum, University of Alabama)

John F. “Jack” Meagher was coach of the Auburn University football program from 1934-42, leading the Tigers to a record of 43 wins, 29 losses and 9 ties. During his tenure, Auburn played in its first two bowl games and its playing facility, now known as Jordan-Hare Stadium, was built. (From Encyclopedia of Alabama, courtesy of Auburn University Libraries)

Parade passing through downtown Montgomery, Alabama, before the annual Blue-Gray Football Classic. (Alabama Department of Archives and History)

Players on the field during the Blue-Gray game at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. (Horace Perry Negative Collection, Alabama Department of Archives and History)

For more on Alabama’s Bicentennial, visit Alabama 200.