Bobby Bowden

Background

Bobby Bowden was born on November 8, 1929, to Bob Bowden and Sunset Cleckler in Birmingham, Alabama. At age 13, Bowden was diagnosed with rheumatic fever, which kept him in bed — in the hospital and at home — for close to two years. During that period, he developed an interest in World War II reports and college football. Bowden attended Woodlawn High School in Birmingham, where he excelled as a football player and obtained a scholarship to play as a quarterback for the University of Alabama. However, after one semester, Bowden returned to his hometown, eloped with his high school sweetheart — Ann Astock — and got married. Due to that, he was unable to continue with his scholarship. He later transferred to Howard College (now Samford University) and participated in football, baseball, and track.

Bowden graduated from Howard College in 1953 and returned as an assistant football coach and head track and field coach. He left after two years to become the athletic director and head coach for South Georgia College (1956 to 1958). Bowden returned to Howard College as head coach in 1959 and left again in 1962 after compiling a 31-6 record. In 1962, Bowden moved up to the highest level of collegiate football (the University Division, now called the Football Bowl Subdivision). He first became the assistant coach for Florida State University (1962 to 1965) and then the assistant coach for West Virginia University (1966 to 1969). He was later promoted to the head coach position in 1970 after the former head coach Jim Carlen left for Texas Tech. Bowden guided the West Virginia Mountaineers to two bowl appearances and had a 42-26 record.

In 1976, Bobby Bowden became the head coach for Florida State University (F.S.U.) Seminoles, where he had a successful coaching career spanning over three decades. He only had a losing season in his first year as head coach, ending 1976 with a 5-6 record. Since then, from 1987 to 2000, the Seminoles finished every season with at least 10 wins and in the top five of the Associated Press (A.P.) College Football Poll. He guided the team to win the national championship in 1993 and 1999, winning or sharing nine consecutive conference titles (1992 to 2000). Bobby Bowden spent the last few years of his coaching career competing with Joe Paterno, head coach of Pennsylvania State University, for the record of the most major college coaching victories in a career. He lost that race in 2010 to Joe Paterno after the N.C.A.A. stripped the F.S.U. of 12 wins from the 2006 and 2007 seasons due to academic fraud. Bowden ended his career with 377 wins, 129 losses, and four ties.