During his January 27th call to the Paul Finebaum Show, “Al from Dadeville,” now thought to have been Harvey Updyke, claimed that while living in ignorance of the intensity of the Iron Bowl rivalry in Texas in 1983, a “good friend from Birmingham” sent him a newspaper clipping of an article “showing” Auburn students rolling Toomer’s Corner upon learning of Bear Bryant’s death on Jan. 26, 1983.
To his credit, Finebaum immediately rejected the suggestion that Auburn students would publicly celebrate an old man’s death. The back and forth over the veracity of Updyke’s claim actually nearly overshadowed his purpose in calling the show: bragging about poisoning the Toomer’s oaks as retribution for (1) Auburn fans taping a Cam Newton jersey to the statue of Bear Bryant outside Bryant-Denny Stadium for a Facebook photo op before the Iron Bowl, and (2) for Auburn students supposedly ding-donging that the wicked Bear was dead 28 years ago (something NBC’s Nightly News made no effort to verify in its report on the Toomer’s case Thursday evening).
But did they? And is there an article from a newspaper put out during what is surely the most scrapbook’ed week of Alabama journalism ever (but that somehow can’t be produced and scanned into a message board) that proves it?
Not that I can find, at least after a midnight run up to Auburn’s Ralph Brown Draughon Library last night*. Nothing in the Birmingham News, at least through January 30, or the Opelika-Auburn News, or the Auburn Plainsman. (Couldn’t check the Birmingham Post-Herald — for whatever reason, the Post-Herald microfiche was available only through 1972.)
Other than a quote of condolence from Pete Turnham, the state representative from Auburn’s House district, here’s the first reference to Auburn we could find in the Birmingham News coverage of Bryant’s death, from Jan. 27, 1983 (click to enlarge):
Here’s the January 27 front page, and Auburn-reaction stories from the sports section of the OA-News:
Coming out the morning after Bryant died, The Plainsman had little time to do anything other than jam a picture of Bryant onto the front page of it’s January 27 issue:
But nothing in the next week’s issue, or the next’s mentions anything about students— or even just a single student— rolling Toomer’s Corner after Bryant died. Related stories were instead filled with praise for Bryant…a little too much for my taste, but whatever:
The lack of anything in The Plainsman is the most telling.
Letters to the editor regarding rules and codes of conduct for Auburn students during this era were fantastically nitpicky. Alumni and townsfolk regularly took students to task for the tiniest offense to civility and class: too much cussing at games, not cheering loudly enough at games, poor behavior at concerts, you name it. It seems straight up impossible for Bryant’s death to have inspired an event at Toomer’s Corner significant enough to draw the attention of a major Birmingham newspaper yet escape the ire of Auburn alumni, as well as the opinion section of the Opelika-Auburn News.
So unless the Birmingham Post-Herald was just scooping the hell out of the competition with what “Al from Dadeville” implies is an actual photo of Auburn students celebrating Bryant’s death—and other paper’s just didn’t think that was a big enough deal to follow up on— we say go ahead and add a little snarl in your denials to the Bama fans in your life. It didn’t happen.
* If your name is Garrett Jackson, you dropped your wallet. It’s at the front circulation desk.
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More on Toomer’s Corner: Auburn grad attorney had no qualms defending Updyke / Toomer’s Oaks souvenirs will be branded ‘Auburn Oaks’ / Woodturned item made from Toomer’s Oaks will be on permanent display in Auburn art museum / Toomer’s Corner rollings didn’t start with Punt, Bama, Punt, says History / Did Auburn students celebrate Bear Bryant’s death by rolling Toomer’s Corner?
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Excellent work!
Never let ignorant assertions like this stand unchallenged.
It’s not like you can change their minds on this. This is a case of someone inventing a lie, and said lie being repeated enough until people believe it’s true. If they told themselves over and over again that Auburn was responsible for the Kennedy assassination, 9/11, and hurricane Katrina, they would believe it.
There is no hope for these people.
I don’t know how I knew it to be false(the accusation) I just felt like it was something that our family wouldn’t do, ever.
Mr. Updyke is going to feel awful silly after he hears about this.
There was no need to celebrate the Bear’s death. He had retired a month earlier and a month before that, Bo had gone over the top. We beat the guy the last time we faced him. What would have been the point in celebrating? We were looking to future – as we should today.
From a comment on a story about the poisoning of the trees:
“I have never in all of my 60 years responded to a blog post. But I couldn’t let the comment from Rolltide510 pass by. I was at Auburn when the great Bear Bryant died. Roll Toomer’s Corner? Where did you get THAT? I remember black ribbons and wreaths everywhere and there was a caravan of Auburnites who attended the memorial service for this wonderful coach. He was an institution and we were all saddened by his passing.”
I’m inclined to believe an alumnus who was there during the time. This isn’t the only time I’ve seen someone post something similar. From what I can gather, students rolled Toomer’s when he retired. Only four weeks after retiring, Coach Bryant died. With such a small time frame, I guess people are confused.
I was attending Auburn when Coach Bryant passed away. There was NO Toomer’s rolling, celebration or any thing like it. Most everyone on campus and in Foy Union that day were shocked. I certainly didn’t expect it, he had just retired. It was a “can you believe it” kind of day but no celebration was going on.
And this is also a fan base who had an SID add 5 Ncs to their total in the 80s and then they took it as gospel.
Like many Auburn fans, I respected Coach Bryant and was saddened by his passing. The Auburn family would never have rolled Toomer Corner on the announcement of his death. I imagine Bear would roll over in his grave if he knew what a “fan” did in the name of Alabama…a grave dug in the same Alabama earth that Harvey Updayke chose to poison.
OK…. yea that guy was a huge moron for doin what he did, no doubt about it but some of ya’ll have got things twisted, like CourtAU. I didnt realize we have only played college football since the 80’s and there were 0 champs before then. Bama deserves every Title they own, and how the hell could the fans “add” Titles? Roll Tide, 13 National Championships and counting. And im all for Auburn winning titles… might have a few more if ya;ll didnt have to go through Bama every year. I love this rivalry, nothing quite like it.
can this be sent to NBC? tell Ron Mott to check his facts
Zac, it isn’t surprising that you don’t really know the history of the program you support. Most Alabama fans are quick to deny the parts of history that, while factual, do not support their false sense of entitlement. In 1986 Alabama sports information director Wayne Atcheson added five championships (1925, ’26, ’30, ’34, ’41) that were previously unrecognized by the NCAA. This is because most of those championships were not awarded to Alabama by a polling service until literally decades later when some historians began writing sports almanacs in the mid fifties and sixties. The NCAA officially recognizes Alabama with 9 championships. This is I. Stark contrast to every single other university in the NCAA. No other school claims championships that are only recognize by that school. In fact most, including Auburn, could claim more according to NCAA recognition, but they choose not to for one reason or another.
I was also in school at that time. The only controversial rolling occurred after President Funderburk resigned. Maybe three or four students rolled the trees and that was somewhat controversial at the time. Nobody rolled the trees after Bryant died. Unfortunately these finer details don’t matter to NBC or much of the rest of the national media for that matter.
I lived in Auburn from 1976-1983. In fact, one of my articles is listed above.
It has been an urban legend that Auburn students rolled Toomers Corner after Bryant’s death. I drove through it several times that day and night. I had to be at work at 6 a.m. the next morning, and drove through it. There was no celebration. It’s a lie that has constantly been spread by Alabama fans since that time.
Let me correct some of you by stating, I am an Alabama fan. I ASKED questions about this, I did NOT accuse AUBURN FANS of doing anything of the kind. Stop classing everyone by what team they pull for. I certainly do not judge Auburn fans by hearsay, I ask questions. Yes! This is total crap! But just like everything else, this is a story that was generated by the media, NOT BY THE FANS! If you are going to rip people apart because they do not pull for the same team you do and make up things, then you are NO BETTER THAN THE ONES WHO STARTED THIS ATROCIOUS LIE! Give it a REST! I have nothing against Auburn. I am an Alabama fan. I am not trash. And I do NOT promote lying and unfounded accusations. That is why I ask questions first! Who cares how many titles anyone held. Stop making this about football and accept it for what it is. A CRIME! A crime committed by an obviously very sick individual. Notice, I did state INDIVIDUAL!
In my experience Auburn and Alabama fans have the same trouble communicating that I have with my wife. First, it is important to understand that perception is reality. When communicating or just existing with another person, everyone naturally hears what they want to hear. When this distortion of reality is made, the percieving party naturally includes in their perception thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc. that they are comfortable with. Essentially, Alabama fans have no problem believing that Auburn fans woudl celebrate the death of Bear Bryant because (1) it is not so far removed from actions they themselves woudl undertake, and (2) they truly believe that all Auburn fans live in constant awe of Alabama, because that is how they live. Obviously, they are incorrect on both counts. This is why Alabama fans will never understand how we all just knew (without actually knowing) that this story about the celebration of Bear Bryant’s death was untrue. To a typical Alabama fan the concept that a person can be a football fan and not just a follower of your own school is beyond the scope of thier comprehension because thier perception fo relaity is so throughly flavored by thier own blind allegiance.
Hey folks … push this article and our new Facebook group as hard as you can today!
Harvey Updyke poisoned Toomer’s Corner and was arrested this week. The fate of Auburn’s beautiful oak trees lies in the Almighty’s hands. But we can stop Updyke’s horrible lie and attempt to poison any goodwill between Auburn and the University of Alabama. Bama fans, would you like to help out your Auburn brother and sister in mourning? Stop this viscous lie!
Join up and spread the word!
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=o.203630206317391#!/home.php?sk=group_203630206317391
The NCAA recognizes the national championships. And you claim Alabama is delusional. I am an Auburn fan but am sick and tired of painting their entire fan base because of the act of one very sick individual. We have our own sickos, and all this is doing is fanning the flames. This was a crime committed by a crazy deranged person.
And you can keep saying that Harvey is “crazy deranged” when it seems more than anything he is “angry dickhead.”
I admit Al is an idiot,but there are idiots on both sides and yes we deserve every one of those 13 national championships! Just because Auburn can only win one every 53 years doesn’t take away from what Alabama has accomplished.
I was a student at Auburn at the time. Better yet, I studied Graphic Design in Biggin Hall. Biggin Hall is the building located at Toomer’s Corner.Had they rolled Toomer’s. we would have known about it. There was always someone in that building, all hours of the night… they called us “The All Nighters”. In addition they didn’t lock the buildings back in those days, the students would come in and take all of the toilet paper from Biggin when they rolled Toomer’s. IT NEVER HAPPENED!!!
I guess everyone has noticed all of the allegations that continue to pop up about Auburn. Thayer Evans writes and article and the NCAA investigates only to find nothing. The allegations of the rolling of Toomer’s at the time of the Bear’s death are the same. It’s all just a bunch of bammer propaganda.
I dont know if anyone threw TP when Bryant died but I do remember the joke that he was killed by Dye-a-beat-us. My memory of the joke was that people were a little emabarrassed that they thought it was funny.
I was a student at Auburn when Bear died, and I and like 90 percent of the other drivers rode around with our headlights on all day because back in the days before running lamps, that’s what you did to show recognition of a bereavement.
Has anyone checked to see where Updyke was the night the Kopper Kettle blew up?
I can’t believe anybody this crazy has gone 62 years without getting in trouble before. A kitty and puppy killer if I ever saw one.
My mother has told me the story of the day Bear Bryant died countless times. She was a vet student at Auburn at the time, and she was sitting in lab when they announced it over the intercom. She said the class sat in stunned silence and the sadness in the room was palpable. They knew it was the end of an era for the state of Alabama. She has confirmed that no one rolled Toomer’s, as she had to drive right by it to get home.
I really do wish NBC would have checked their facts on that claim. They pay their reporters a lot of money to ignore basic journalism guidelines.
Jb, if Auburn claimed titles with as much fervor as alabama, we could lay claim to at least 9. How about you check the facts, and not spout the propaganda you’ve been fed your entire life.
As another poster stated, alabama back dated these titles in the 80s.
Thanks WER, for this story. I have e-mailed NBC news (not that it will do any good) and urge you all to do the same to protest how they mentioned this lie as a fact.
I was in a lab in the Textile Buidling (a couple of blocks down Magnolia Ave. from Toomers Corner) that afternoon and the professor came in and told us that Coach Bryant had died. There was no disrespect, and most people were a little disbelieving at first, because like me they had grown up in Alabama with Coach Bryant as a “larger than life” figure. There was no celebration and Toomers Corner was definitely not rolled.
aUBURN Students celebrated Bryant s death by having a Mock funeral on campus the next day. Get a year book form 1983 and you will see photos of it. Talk about trash, One nut case said auburn was looking to the future, I guess so, as long as Bryant was coach auburn only won 20% of games, Twice Bear beat aubur 9 times in a ROW. Did you hear or see Bama fans holding up 6 fingers,seven,eight or nine? Hell no,Beating auburn was like beating Mississippi state just another game. Bama has 13 NCAA “NC” AND BRYANT WILL BE APART OF BAMA FOOTBALL FOR EVER.aUBURN just gets another coach who’s name’s are long forgotten
Nope. No pictures of a mock funeral. There is, however, a photo of Bear Bryant’s actual funeral in a recap of the year’s biggest news stories. Please don’t burn down Samford Hall.
Tommy,
Have you looked at a 1983 Glom? I have one that you can read (I use that term loosely – it has many pictures). If you find the quote you use or the photo of the “mock” funeral, I’ll eat the pages.
I was a senior at Auburn when Bear died. We spent the afternoon playing pool in Mag Dorm and listening to the news on a clock radio. As I recall it was cold and foggy and started raining in the afternoon. Not good weather to rolling a tree. Campus was just sort of quiet about the whole thing.
Tommy, your hatred and anger are noted. You haven’t learned a thing during this, have you?
I am rarely ashamed to have been born and raised in the Great State of Texas (I now live in Awesome Alabama -18yrs). This week I have been ashamed that a fellow Texan claimed and has been arrested for ATTACKING the great Oaks at Toomers Corner. I am further stunned he was a Texas State Trooper. Texans loved Bear Bryant, especially we Aggies. There seems to be no article which Updyke referred to in his call. After all whether you holler Roll Tide, War Eagle or Gig’em Aggies and you are old enough to remember Jan 26, 1983 you remember where you were and what you were doing when it was announced that The Bear had stepped onto the streets of Gold!
In reading some of the posts I can help but think “COME ON NOW.” Toomers Corner was ATTACKED by an outsider! Come on ALABAMIANS unite. If this was done at the Capital in Montgomery we would all be outraged. I may be a tranplant from Texas but this my Sweet Home Alabama. I picked Alabama as my team (cause of Bear) and I am heart sick for the Oaks. Come on Alabama folks lets not act like Yankees and turn on each other, stand by and be mad at the ignorance that fed the attack on a piece of our State!
As others who were on campus at the time have above attested, NOPE, didn’t happen.
ABC news also reported that the nutcase Updyke was mad that AU rolled toomers corner, but they never went on to say that it didn’t happen, therefore leaving it in the audience’s head that it did. Half ass reporting is pathetic, like Updyke’s brother TOMMY. Why do these desperate weirdos flock to bama?
Great call wareaglereader. I think we have to end all comments to crazy bama fans with a plea for normalcy and just hope they don’t do anything else nuts.
My Mom was a cheerleader at AU from 81-85. I just looked through her 1983 yearbook. NO pics or mention of a mock funeral. Like the WER said, only pics of the actual funeral as a year in recap. She also verified that NO ONE rolled Toomers after Bryant’s death. She said that the AU cheerleaders contacted the Bama cheerleaders to offer their condolences. Sounds like out AU family reached out to the Bama family during their time of loss. It’s a pitty that ole Harvey didn’t get his facts straight…
Lauren,
Don’t forget make it up Tommy. He is sitting in his parent’s basement thinking of another story since his last one has exploded on him.
Thanks for the verification!
As good as all of this is, the truth is there is no way to prove a negative. It all has to come down to Harvey Updyke. He said on-air with Finebaum that he had proof of the clipping in his possession. If he cannot produce that clipping then it discredits his claims. Let’s hope it comes out in court.
ScottF, Does it matter? Even if Auburn students had a party to celebrate 28 years ago, the guy is still nutso!
I was a student at Auburn in 83′
Nobody rolled nuthin, I’d have been there if it happened.
When someone told me Bear was dead, I thought it was a joke,
the radio said that morning he was just in the hospital for some
routine tests.
TBS, since Bear had said the Iron Bowl would be played in Jordan-Hare only over his dead body(I dont know if he ever said that, but thats what evryone said back then) ummm I thnk I’ve dug enough already..
Frank
trotline — My biggest laugh of the day! I was there when the Kopper Kettle blew up.
Mr Yallerwood himself makes a very good living destroying entire forests. I guess he would be able to place a value on them. (The value determines the charge). What was done to those trees was a despicable act, however we have more pressing matters in this state.
Let it go. They are trees. They have been rolling those trees since the 70’s, not since the beginning of time.
One thing I do find curious. When the fire department has to go to Toomers so they can spay the paper of trees, why is no one concerned about the money and man hours wasted on the immature selfish act? I think their time could be spent more wisely.
By the way had there been a celebration when Bryant died we could assume it would have been a isolated fan, just Updyke.
Too bad ALL of this has put a dampener on the 2010 NC.
Trish- the fire department doesn’t “spray the paper of (sic) trees”…Facilities removes them with water cannons. I’d imagine the university spends far more money and utilizes far more man hours picking up the trash in the aisles of Jordan-Hare after a game…
Go back to Tuscaloosa and worship at your courtyard of bronze demigods. If Bammers would stay where they belong, we wouldn’t have to worry about things like the Updyke incident.