Champ Pickens
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
BornMay 31, 1877
DiedSeptember 18, 1963 (aged 86)
KnownforNamesake of Champ Pickens Cup
Manager of 1896 Alabama team
Coined Alabama's "Million Dollar Band"
Founded Blue–Gray Football Classic
Manager of 1896 Alabama team
Coined Alabama's "Million Dollar Band"
Founded Blue–Gray Football Classic
Champ Pickens | |
|---|---|
 Pickens in 1958 | |
| Born | May 31, 1877 |
| Died | September 18, 1963 (aged 86) |
| Known for | Namesake of Champ Pickens Cup Manager of 1896 Alabama team Coined Alabama's "Million Dollar Band" Founded Blue–Gray Football Classic |
William C. "Champ" Pickens (May 31, 1877 – September 18, 1963) was a prominent figure in Alabama and Southern football,[1] the namesake of the Champ Pickens Cup[2] awarded to the winner of the Southern Conference from 1923 to 1926.[3][4] Pickens developed the idea for the Blue–Gray Football Classic,[5] played between stars of the South versus the North from 1939 to 2003. He gave Alabama's band its name of the "Million Dollar Band."[5][6][7] He wrote two of the earliest books on Alabama football.[8] Pickens was manager of the 1896 Alabama team.[9]
