If you look it up the score board said that we lost in Tuscaloosa that day 20-19, but that’s not the whole story. The lines on the field were chalk in those day. White lines except for the goal line, which was a bright yellow. I was a kid and our section was right on the goal line and we were sitting really low, probably on about row 5. Anyway with Bama leading 20-19, and less than 2 minutes left in the game we were down on the goal line after a long drive. Our running back went off left tackle right in front of us and clearly plunged into the end zone. After he got up you could clearly see the yellow chalk on his uniform in the area right above his knees. The referees huddled up, had a long discussion, and finally the the head referee picked the ball, put it on the 2 and signaled first down Alabama. It was not 4th down. Our fans, coaches, and players had a fit but they didn’t care. My parents were friends with a family that lived next door to Bear Bryant and we went back to their house after the game. They were good people and apologized profusely to us for what had happened. I was a kid but old enough to know exactly what happened and proceeded to go over to the Bryant’s house and knock on the front door. Mrs. Bryant answered the door and standing there in my shirt I asked to speak with her Husband. She said that he was not back home yet but I could come back later and talk to him. Eventually my parents figured out what I was doing, put me in the car kicking and screaming, and we headed for home. A few years later we were in a tight game in Tuscaloosa again and Alabama went for it on 4th down. They didn’t make it but no problem, they gave them a 5th down and they made it. Most games were not on tv in those days and they could get away with almost anything, and they did. There are many, many stories and non of them went in our favor.
