What type of hat did Bear Bryant wear?
Daniel Moore
Published Jan 20, 2026
According to the description of the houndstooth fedora, it is well-worn in addition to having a unique origin story: Superb use shown in this trademark Houndstooth Hat worn by Alabama Crimson Tide coaching legend Paul “Bear” Bryant.
What size hat did Bear Bryant wear?
The hat is 7 3/8″ in size. According to Lelands, the hat is owned by a furniture salesman.
Why did Bear Bryant wear a houndstooth hat?
'" According to the Paul W. Bryant Museum, New York Jets owner Sonny Werblin gave Bryant his first houndstooth hat as a goodwill gesture when the Jets made Alabama's Joe Willie Namath the No. 1 pick in the 1965 American Football League draft.
What color hat did Bear Bryant?
When Joe Namath signed with the Jets, Sonny Warbler, the owner of the Jets, gave Bear Bryant his first houndstooth hat. If you'll look at the cover where Bear Bryant was on Time Magazine, you'll notice Bryant wore a blue-and-white-checked houndstooth hat, but those checks were not small. Roll Tide.
Why Does Alabama Use houndstooth?
In 2006, Alabama wore a special commemorative crimson jerseys with a houndstooth trim on the collars, against Ole Miss to honor the 25th anniversary of Bryant's 315 win (the Crimson Tide won in overtime).
38 related questions foundWho is Alabama's mascot?
Big Al, Alabama's elephant mascot, has roamed the sidelines for more than 30 years. But the history of the Crimson Tide's mascot began decades earlier at an Alabama-Ole Miss football game.
Did Bear Bryant ever wear houndstooth?
One of the most memorable and impacting coaches to ever coach Alabama football, Coach 'Bear' Bryant, is known to have always been wearing his houndstooth hat on game days.
What number was Bear Bryant?
12, Alabama: Joe Namath/Paul “Bear” Bryant.
How did coach Bear Bryant get his name?
Bear Bryant earned his nickname as a teen in Fordyce, AR by wrestling a bear when a traveling circus came thru town. After earning the ursine nickname, Bryant lived up to it every step of his football career.
What is houndstooth Alabama?
Houndstooth Mafia was a creation of an Alabama fireman and a man who owns an embroidery shop in Georgia. Both men tailgated together at Alabama football games in a group that became known as Houndstooth Mafia.
What does houndstooth look like?
Houndstooth can be distinguished from other similar types of check patterns by its jagged edges which are formed by tangent twill lines that flare out from the sides of the squares. It is called houndstooth because some people see these jagged edges as resembling the back teeth of a dog.
Did Bear Bryant fight in ww2?
Bryant was considering the head coaching position at the University of Arkansas when World War II broke out. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and after a stint at a Georgia pre-flight school, where he coached football, Bryant was stationed in North Africa.
Why do they say Roll Tide?
The origin of Roll Tide as a rallying cry can be traced to the Alabama—or 'Bama as it's often abbreviated—football team. 'Bama fans yell Roll Tide to encourage the team … not that they need encouraging because they're pretty good at winning. The phrase is sometimes elongated by folks in Birmingham to “roll tide, roll.”
What does Crimson Tide mean in Alabama?
After originally going by "varsity," "Crimson White" (the school colors) and "The Thin Red Line," Birmingham Age-Herald sports editor Hugh Roberts coined the term "Crimson Tide" to describe 'Bama's heroic effort in holding heavily favored Auburn to a 6—6 tie in a mud-soaked game in 1907 that had the 'Bama players ...
Why do they call Alabama the Crimson Tide?
Crimson Tide Story
The game was played in a sea of crimson mud and the Alabama players' white uniforms were stained crimson. As a sports editor for the Birmingham Age-Herald, Hugh Roberts, left the field, he described Alabama as a Crimson Tide. Sports writers then popularized the name and it's stuck ever since.
Who did Paul Bear Bryant play for?
Bear Bryant starred his football career playing for the University of Alabama. After successful coaching stints at Maryland, Kentucky and Texas A&M, he won six national championships over 25 years with Alabama, and retired with a record 323 wins in 1982.
Why did Bear Bryant retire?
Bryant, whose health declined rapidly during the 1970s due to heavy drinking and smoking habits, decided to retire at the end of that season. He coached in the Iron Bowl, losing 23-22 to Auburn, and finally against Illinois in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis.
How long did Bear Bryant live after retirement?
Bear Bryant died of a heart attack yesterday in Tuscaloosa, Ala., only 37 days after he had retired as head football coach at the University of Alabama with the most victories in college football history. Mr.
How good was Bear Bryant?
Bear Bryant retired with 323 victories, then the most in college football history. He won 232 games at Alabama and 60 at Kentucky. Both totals remain the program record.