When we think about Alabama national championship  football coaches we think of Nick Saban, Gene Stallings, and of course Bear Bryant. However, we often forget about the first national championship winning coach Wallace Wade. Wallace Wade was the head football coach at Alabama from 1923-1930.  During that time he won three national championships and four Southern Conference championships.  This book, written by Lewis Bowling, provides an inside look at Wade’s life and career as a football coach at the University of Alabama and Duke University.  Wade came to Alabama during a time of poverty and political turmoil.  As Alabama started to win national championships, the Crimson Tide became not only became a source of Alabama pride but to the South.  Wade brought a very clear vision of football to the University of Alabama. His time at Alabama would provide a foundation for the Crimson Tide’s winning tradition. Wade would leave UA to coach at Duke from 1931-1950.  He temporally left Duke to fight in WWII from 1942-1945.  At Duke, Wade would win six Southern Conference championships. The football stadium at Duke is named after him.  If you are interested in learning more about Wallace Wade and early UA football history, then this book is for you.  We have a copy of this book at McLure Library.

Education Library: GV 939 .W2 B68 2006

Review written by Robert Burgess, Education Library Graduate Assistant