In Memoriam Coach Vince Dooley: An Appreciation by Stephen Davis Legendary University Georgia football coach Vince Dooley passed away on October 28. He was ninety years of age. Those of us in the Civil War community knew Coach Dooley—for that is what we all called him—as a committed Civil War enthusiast. A few years ago when I was about to address the Atlanta Civil War Round Table on my What the Yankees Did to
Us, I was thrilled when he boug my book and stood in line to ha me inscribe it. “Coach Dooley bought my book!” I cried when I
James “Bud” Robertson Jr. and V Table of Atlanta meeting. Coach Robertson speak to the membersh 22– American Battlefield Trust 10 — Battles and Leaders 41 – Book Reviews
got home that night to my wife. Vincent Joseph Dooley was born in Mobile on September 4, 1932. He attended McGillToolen Catholic High School there. Admitted to Auburn University with a football scholarship, Dooley played when “Shug” Jordan coached the team (the coach’s nickname came from his love of sorghum sugar cane— and by the way, it’s pronounced JERRdun). Dooley graduated
in 1954 with a business degree, served two years in the Marines and returned to Auburn, which awarded him a master’s in histo
ooley at the November 2008 Civi y attended the meeting to hear
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in 1963. For several years he was offensive coordinator for Auburn football. He was then hired as Georgia’s head coach, the position he held from 1964 to 1988, leading the university’s Bulldogs. He stayed on as Georgia’s Athletic Director unti 2004. During those twenty-fiv seasons at Georgia he compiled a record of 201-77-10. Down here,
the Southeastern Conference is known by all as “the S.E.C.,” an it’s a tough football league. Ye Dooley was one of the winningest
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Barbara and Vince Dooley at the of Atlanta meeting October 2008
American Battlefield Trust Chie with Board of Trustee Vince Doo coaches in SEC history. He led his teams to twenty bowl games and won six conference championships (1966, 1968, 1976, 1980, 1981 and 1982), as well as the national footbal championship in 1980. Dooley was inducted into the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. Dooley’s Dogs became a staple of sports radio entertainment. Longtime announcer Larry Munson called the team’s playby-play from 1966 to 2008. “GO, YOU HAIRY DAWGS” 24 – War 26– 16 –
Historian Garry Adelman y. became a catchphrase for every Georgia fan. The team’s mascot is, appropriately, a bulldog named UGA. Dooley had some fun writing a couple of books young readers: How ‘Bout Them Dawgs (2006) and Hairy Dawg’s Journey Through the Peach Stat (2008). The coach liked gardening a well, and wrote another book about it: Vince Dooley’s Garde The Horticultural Journey of a
H Dooley . . . . . . . . . . . . see pa hrough the Lens is And That he Unfinished Fight
