Pat Trammell

Pat Trammell was born in Scottsboro, Alabama, as the middle son of a prominent local physician, Dr. Edward Lee Trammell. He quickly excelled both in athletics and academics. He wished to become a physician like his brother, father and father's grandfather.

He was the starting varsity quarterback at Scottsboro High School, where he earned All-County, All-State, All-Southern and All-American honors during his four year prep career. He broke a string of records including having thrown 5 touchdown passes in a single game, twice, and 40 touchdown passes during his high school career.[2] He was also named most valuable basketball player in state of Alabama as a high school senior.[3]

His football career at the University of Alabama began in early 1958, well before Paul "Bear" Bryant's announcement that he planned to return to his alma mater to take over as head coach of the ailing football program. Trammell's family recalls a personal visit at the time and a 'pep talk' from Coach Bryant saying that, "if you'll commit to Alabama, then I'll come back to Alabama." Trammell had actually planned to attend Georgia Tech, after being heavily recruited by Hall of Fame head coach Bobby Dodd but at this point, made a career-altering decision that would change the rest of his life.[4]

Bryant's influence would once again bring the program into the national spotlight and Trammell was his first star player. Coach Bryant had promised the team in the fall of 1958 the impossible notion that they would win a national championship within four years, if they could "stick it out", as told by team-mates Billy Neighbors, Bill Oliver and Mal Moore. This was going to be an uphill battle, as Alabama was coming off of four straight losing seasons. In 1959, when Trammell was a Sophomore, he led Alabama in total offense and then led in total scoring in the 1960 season, including a win against the Fran Tarkenton-led Georgia Bulldogs. Then after being named SEC champions in 1960, Coach Bryant's bold prediction soon would become mysteriously true. In 1961, Trammell would lead the team to a perfect season and ultimately to a NCAAF National Championship for 1961 (AP, UPI, NFF - unanimous), which was the first in 20 years for Alabama.[5]

On December 5, 1961, at the National Football Foundation's reception in the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, with President John F. Kennedy attending, Coach Bryant and Pat Trammell together proudly accepted the MacArthur Trophy in recognition of Alabama's perfect season and National Championship. The black tie event was hosted by Bob Hope and was also attended by General Douglas MacArthur, Vince Lombardi, head coach of the Green Bay Packers (under whom, ironically, at the time was NFL quarterback great and Alabama alumnus Bart Starr who subsequently led the Packers to five NFL titles), Sidney L. James, the founding editor and publisher of Sports Illustrated and dozens of other College Football Hall of Fame Inductees. (Of interest, a similar semi-fictional scene was digitally remastered in Winston Groom's film, Forrest Gump, in 1994, with President John F. Kennedy digitally morphed into the set with Tom Hanks, who played Forrest Gump, a celebrated fictional Alabama football player, who had accepted a handshake from the President and was asked "how does it feel to be an All-American?". Winston Groom had been a freshman at the University of Alabama in 1961 during this era.)[6]

After realizing Bryant's prophecy from 1958 in the undefeated 11–0–0 championship season of 1961 and after winning the Sugar Bowl, the National Championship and the MacArthur Bowl Trophy, multiple awards and recognitions followed suit (the following is a partial list). Pat Trammell was selected NCAA Academic All-American, was named the 1961 SEC Most Valuable Player, SEC Player of the Year, All-SEC (First Team) Back of 1961 season (AP, UPI) and All-SEC Academic Selection. He was voted as the 1961 Collegiate Player of the year by the Touchdown Club of Atlanta. He was chosen as the 1961 Most Valuable Back by the Birmingham Monday Morning Quarterback Club. He was chosen to receive the Most Valuable Player Award for 1961 by the Nashville Banner. He was 5th runner up in the vote for the Heisman Trophy which was won by halfback Ernie Davis at Syracuse. Although the Birmingham Touchdown Club SEC player of the year award did not begin until 1979, he has been publicly honored and recognized by this organization on multiple occasions. By becoming the 1961 permanent Team Captain, Pat Trammell had his hand prints and cleat-prints stamped into the Walk of Fame in 1961 as "most outstanding player" on the ingress of Denny Chimes on the Quad at the University. This was the last time that this designation was ever made.[7]

Several interviews of family members and players that knew him best gleaned some light on what made him so exceptional and "unbeatable". He had mastered the cognitive component of the fundamentals of the game by using his unique gifts of an eidetic "photographic" memory, "sixth sense" and "field presence". At any given moment during any play of any game, he knew how it was intended to unfold, not just for his position, but for every player on the field. He would have anticipated the next move of his opponents well before they knew it themselves and would often manipulate them into a more suitable position for his offense. Even when far outmatched, he would home in and exploit the weak link of the defense to leverage an upper hand. He welcomed adversity and would actually thrive on it. What Bryant found to be so amazing was that even though he was not a superior athlete, he was always able to find the necessary resources in the exact way at the exact time to overcome the odds, "make things happen" and deliver a win. Bryant would continue to build on this foundation for the rest of his career to turn average players with average skills into exceptional players who would believe in themselves and become winners both on and off the field.[8][9][10] ^{p. 88, p. 90}

Teammate Billy Neighbors ('59–'61) would later say that Pat Trammell was the "smartest and best football player I'd ever played with .... period. And I played with some great players, like Bob Griese and Babe Parilli. Pat Trammell was still the smartest football player .... it was just the way he ran the team, the offense."[10] ^p. 89

Butch Wilson ('59 - '62) knew Trammell well while they played together in the backfield. When later comparing him to his teammates in the NFL, such as Johnny Unitas and Fran Tarkenton, Wilson would say that Trammell was the toughest, most competitive quarterback with whom he had ever played. “They weren’t the caliber that Trammell was,” said Wilson. “They had a lot of ability, but it wasn’t that old hard-nosed style. He was almost like a lineman turned into a quarterback." [11]

Incoming quarterback, Joe Namath ('61–'64), was heavily influenced by Pat Trammell during their overlapping season of 1961. "Pat's leadership was exemplified by his toughness," said Namath. "He was a demanding mentor and certainly made me a better quarterback. I miss that smile of his."

Before the Draft, Vince Lombardi would pressure Coach Bryant to persuade Pat to come to play for him with the Green Bay Packers after graduation. Coach Bryant responded, "Pat is too smart to play professional football ... he will go on to medical school to fulfill his personal goals." Trammell majored in Chemical Engineering and Pre-Med and would graduate from the University of Alabama with the highest attainable honors of President's List, Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude and Jason's Men's Honor Society.[12] Of interest, he was drafted by the AFL Dallas Texans, but would never sign.[2]

In one poll, the 1961 Alabama Team was voted as "the Best All-Time SEC football team" to ever play for the Southeastern Conference,[13] and, in another, the third best college football team of all time.[14] To have turned around a decade of losing streaks from scratch and collectively outscore their opponents 297 to 25, Coach Bryant and this team have been thought to have pioneered the revolutionary turning point for the modern day University of Alabama football championship dynasty.[13] Coach Bryant would go on to win the National Coach of the Year Award for 1961, which was his first of three, as well as his first of eight awards for the SEC Coach of the Year. This would also be his first of six NCAA Division I FBS (I-A) National Championships, which were more than any other college football coach in history, until tied by Nick Saban in 2018.[15] Coach Bryant would ultimately be considered as the "greatest college football coach of all times."[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]

Trammell died of complications from metastatic testicular cancer on December 10, 1968, at the age of 28 – only two years after earning his M.D. degree from the Medical College of Alabama, today's University of Alabama School of Medicine. He was completing a residency in Dermatology and planned to continue practicing medicine as a third generation doctor. He left behind a wife and two young children.[1][31]

Hundreds attended his funeral in Scottsboro; even Auburn University's head coach Ralph "Shug" Jordan put rivalry aside to attend the service.[32] Condolences came in from around the state and country, including personal letters and telegrams from Alabama Governor George Wallace, Alabama Governor Albert Brewer, Alabama Governor Jim Folsom, Congressman Robert E. Jones, Jr., Congressman Ben Cherner and President-elect Richard Nixon. A resolution from the Alabama House of Representatives was written into law on April 1, 1969, acknowledging the tragic loss and its impact on the populace of the state of Alabama.

The following is an excerpt from the eulogy at his funeral spoken by the then University President Dr. Frank Rose:[32]

Pat lifted us to great heights on the football field, but perhaps his greatest moment of all came at the Football Hall of Fame dinner where we were receiving the highest honor, the MacArthur Bowl [trophy]. There were about 2,000 people attending the banquet, including President Kennedy, and General MacArthur himself. The crowd didn't bother Pat. Most young men would have been intimidated. He casually walked up to the microphone in front of this huge crowd and told everyone there he was very appreciative of what everyone had done for him, coach Bryant and the University.

Following that, President Kennedy came to my room at the hotel and personally sought out Pat. I never saw the President after that [before his death], where he didn't want to know how Pat Trammell was doing.

He had character and intelligence. He lived a full life. He thrilled people from all walks of life. He was able to share more moments of happiness than most men who live one hundred years. His achievements will be as dear to my memory as all the football games we'll ever win and all the expansion we'll have in the future. But all this is part of the making of a great institution like the University of Alabama....the life and story of Pat Trammell.

— Dr. Frank Rose, President, University of Alabama, December 11, 1968.

Afterward, with tears streaming down his face, tough, tenacious Paul "Bear" Bryant escorted Pat's mother out of the standing room only church in Scottsboro. This is reported to be the only time that Coach Bryant had ever been seen weeping in public.

In Bryant's autobiography The Bear, he stated that the day Pat died was "the saddest day of my life."

After Coach Bryant celebrated his 300th college football victory, in 1980, a reprint of an interview by author Clyde Bolton was published in The Birmingham News when he was reflecting back on his success as a football coach, leader and mentor. During this interview he was put on the spot and asked if he had a "favorite player." Coach Bryant named off a number of players that he thought of highly during the previous 22 years at Alabama and during his 30 year coaching career. He took a pause at that point and said, "[now] You'll have to forgive me here for getting sentimental." [sic] He then responded in turn with a deliberate answer to the question, " .... Pat Trammell was [not just my favorite player, but] the favorite person...... of my entire life."

The legacy of Pat Trammell has lived on since his death. His eventual influence and impact would be later brought to life in many non-fiction books, sports history books, documentaries, news articles and movies (one being The Bear, starring Gary Busey as Bear Bryant and Jon-Erik Hexum playing Trammell).

• In 1965, upon completion of the Paul W. Bryant Hall for on-campus football player residence, the Pat Trammell Room was dedicated
• In 1968, Trammell was elected as Alumni President of the University of Alabama letterman's A-Club, but would never serve due to his death.[33]
• In late December 1968, two weeks after his death, the Alabama A-Club Educational and Charitable Foundation was set in motion by teammates Tommy Brooker, James A. Sharpe, Joseph K. Sims, and Billy Neighbors. Coach Bryant and his teammates recognized the need for a charitable program that would lend support to the families and children of former University of Alabama football players in times of need, and to offer educational scholarships. An initial contribution of $1,000,000 in 1973 (over $5,000,000 in today's dollars) was established by Coach Bryant with Trammell's family and children in mind. The Foundation has evolved into a world class charitable support system for the University of Alabama Department of Athletics that lives on today.[34]
• Beginning in 1970, Scottsboro High School implemented the annual Pat Trammell Award to the most outstanding scholar-athlete of the year to generate interest in becoming a future Academic All-American, as was Pat.
• After the completion of the new football stadium in Scottsboro in 1971, it was named and dedicated as Trammell Stadium.[3]
• In 1975, Trammell was posthumously inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.[35]
• In 2009, the theatrical performance of Bear Country[36][37] starring Rodney Clark as Coach Bryant, drew unexpected popularity. During the true to life play, Coach Bryant is approaching retirement and reflects back over his life and career. Recent interest has been drawn, that, of the hundreds of players that he had coached and known so well over 45 years, he would only mention one by name. A dramatic and emotional scene in the play about his inner regard for Trammell ensued. It has been said that losing Pat ended up being so emotionally devastating for Coach Bryant that it was as if he had lost his own son.
• On November 1, 2014, Pat Trammell was inducted into the Jackson County Sports Hall Fame as an inaugural member.[4][38]
• Beginning in 2008, a Sports Medicine Fellowship and Chair in recognition of Dr. Pat Trammell have been endowed at the University of Alabama School of Medicine, Tuscaloosa Campus, between the College of Community Health Sciences and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.[39] As described by the Athletic Director Emeritus, the late Mal Moore, "the Dr. Patrick Lee Trammell, Sr., Excellence in Sports Medicine Program promotes specialized Sports Medicine education, on-the-field 'hands-on' training, and practical experience for future Sports Medicine Team Physicians." [40] The first resident physician was awarded the fellowship and entered the program in June 2010.[41]

• You Tube – Pat Trammell, Alabama national championship QB remembered

• Alabama Sports Hall of Fame – Dr. Pat Trammell
• Encyclopedia of Alabama – Pat Trammell
• Sports Reference – collegiate statistics – Pat Trammell
• Pat Trammell at Find a Grave