Lowry recalls Bryant as coach for Kentucky

By Greg Gulas

BOARDMAN — There’s at least one football player from the Valley — Neil Lowry, an Ursuline High graduate — dedicated to keeping the memory of legendary football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant alive.

Not just with Lowry’s University of Kentucky teammates either, but the many other players who suited up for college football’s coaching icon when he guided the Wildcats from 1946-53.

Speaking to the Curbstone Coaches during Monday’s weekly luncheon meeting at the Blue Wolf Banquet Center, Lowry shared stories and lent valuable insight about the man who became college football’s all-time winningest head coach upon his retirement in 1982.

“He won six national championships while serving as the head coach of the University of Alabama, yet many, including the coach himself who had already passed away, didn’t realize until some 20 years after his death that his 1950 Wildcat squad was declared No. 1 that season as well according to the mighty Sagarin Ratings,” said Lowry, a former guard for Kentucky and an All-American in 1954.

Lowry will serve as master of ceremonies in June for a gathering of Wildcats with former Kentucky standout and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee George Blanda the guest speaker.

They’ll share stories like how Bryant used to cut cotton for 50 cents a day during his youth, but jumped at the opportunity from a local promoter to wrestle a bear for $1 if he proved he could last a minute in the ring with the animal.

“That is how Coach got his nickname. He was 6-foot-3-inches tall and was known as the [other end] during his playing days with the Crimson Tide. He complemented the famed Don Hutson as receivers on that team so it’s rather easy to understand how he lasted more than a minute in the ring.”

How Lowry ended up at the University of Kentucky to play for the famed coach was even puzzling to him.

“I had a great high school coach in Tom Carey at Ursuline, but there just weren’t any offers on the table for me to attend college and play football when I graduated,” said Lowry.

“Monsignor Breen Malone of the Youngstown Diocese tried to help me out, but Youngstown College and John Carroll weren’t interested and other contacts that he made didn’t make any commitment either.

“When local football star Dick Holway, who played and then later coached under Bryant, called, my fortunes changed and that is how I ended up at the University of Kentucky.”

Lowry earned three letters for the Wildcats and finished his career playing for former Cleveland Browns head coach Blanton Collier.

“I was very fortunate to play for such a great man and coach,” said Lowry. “Coach Bryant was all about character and he reaffirmed that conviction in his book.

“He often said when wealth is lost, nothing is lost. When health is lost, something is lost. But when character is lost, all is lost.”