WORLD WAR II
Son of James Martin and Sadie Sue Finley Bradshaw, husband of Martha Austin.
MONTGOMERY - Former Kentucky football coach Charlie Bradshaw, an Alabama native and Bear Bryant protégé known for his aggressive, disciplined style, died Thursday. He was 75. Bradshaw, who coached at Kentucky from 1962-68 and at Troy State in Alabama from 1976-82, died in Montgomery, where he grew up and had lived in recent years.
Bradshaw, who spent three years with the Marines during World War II, played for Bryant at Kentucky after the war. He lettered four years, three as an end. He eventually rejoined Bryant as an assistant at Alabama during 1959-61, helping win a national championship in his last year before taking the Kentucky job in 1962.
Like Bryant, Bradshaw was a tough field master, with an intense conditioning regime. His disciplined approach was so demanding that his first Kentucky team began with 88 players but dropped to 30 -- ''The Thin Thirty'' as they were known at the time.
He was 25-41-4 at Kentucky, with a 6-4 campaign in his fourth year the peak. He was 41-27-2 in seven years at Troy State, with his first team winning the Gulf State Conference championship.
Clem Gryska, who coached with Bradshaw at Alabama when the Tide won the national title, said Thursday that Bradshaw was a major element in the team's success. ''The kids had a lot of respect for him,'' Gryska said. ''He could turn his cap around and get down in the trenches with them. He was a hands-on coach.'' He said Bradshaw was a strong recruiter for Alabama. ''We called him 'Silver Tongue,''' Gryska said. ''We would get three, four, five recruits a year out of the state of Kentucky.''
After playing under Bryant at Kentucky, Bradshaw returned to Montgomery and coached at Sidney Lanier High School for four years. Then he went back to Kentucky as an assistant under Blanton Collier during 1954-58.
After his work as an assistant under Bryant and the head job at Kentucky, Bradshaw was an assistant at Texas A&M in 1970 and at Vanderbilt in 1971-72 before entering private business. He returned to football at Troy State, about 40 miles south of Montgomery, four years later.
''This is a sad day for Troy State,'' athletic director Johnny Williams said. ''I saw him just yesterday and got the opportunity to visit for an hour. He was in excellent health and was just coming back from the post office, so this is a major shock.''
LEXINGTON - Charlie Bradshaw, head coach of the University of Kentucky football team from 1962-68, died Thursday afternoon in Montgomery, Alabama, at the age of 75.
Bradshaw grew up in Montgomery and attended UK for one semester in 1942 before withdrawing to enter the Marine Corps. He served three years in the Marines, including 19 months of action in the Pacific Theater. After the war, he returned to UK to play for Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. He was a four-year letterman from 1946-49, playing one season at center and three years as an end.
Following graduation, Bradshaw went home to Montgomery and coached four years in junior high school. He returned to UK as an assistant coach (ends and offensive backs) from 1954-58 under Coach Blanton Collier. He rejoined Bryant as the University of Alabama line coach from 1959-61.
Bradshaw succeeded Collier as head coach at UK in 1962 and installed a system of intense conditioning and tough, aggressive play. His disciplined approach was so demanding that his first team began with 88 players but eventually dwindled to 30 players and was known as "The Thin Thirty." The team posted a 3-5-2 record, topped by a 12-10 victory at Tennessee.
Bradshaw's 1964 Wildcats reached .500 with a 5-5 record, including a 27-21 road upset of No. 1-ranked Mississippi. Bradshaw's best Kentucky team was his 1965 unit that posted a 6-4 record, but missed a bowl trip after losing the last two games of the season. Three losing seasons followed and he finished his UK career in 1968 with a seven-year mark of 25-41-4.
Bradshaw was an assistant coach at Texas A&M (1970) and at Vanderbilt (1971-72) before entering private business. He returned to coaching in 1976 as the head coach at Troy (Ala.) State University and had a 41-27-2 mark from 1976 to 1982.
Published in the University of Kentucky Athletic News, June 3, 1999
Son of James Martin and Sadie Sue Finley Bradshaw, husband of Martha Austin.
MONTGOMERY - Former Kentucky football coach Charlie Bradshaw, an Alabama native and Bear Bryant protégé known for his aggressive, disciplined style, died Thursday. He was 75. Bradshaw, who coached at Kentucky from 1962-68 and at Troy State in Alabama from 1976-82, died in Montgomery, where he grew up and had lived in recent years.
Bradshaw, who spent three years with the Marines during World War II, played for Bryant at Kentucky after the war. He lettered four years, three as an end. He eventually rejoined Bryant as an assistant at Alabama during 1959-61, helping win a national championship in his last year before taking the Kentucky job in 1962.
Like Bryant, Bradshaw was a tough field master, with an intense conditioning regime. His disciplined approach was so demanding that his first Kentucky team began with 88 players but dropped to 30 -- ''The Thin Thirty'' as they were known at the time.
He was 25-41-4 at Kentucky, with a 6-4 campaign in his fourth year the peak. He was 41-27-2 in seven years at Troy State, with his first team winning the Gulf State Conference championship.
Clem Gryska, who coached with Bradshaw at Alabama when the Tide won the national title, said Thursday that Bradshaw was a major element in the team's success. ''The kids had a lot of respect for him,'' Gryska said. ''He could turn his cap around and get down in the trenches with them. He was a hands-on coach.'' He said Bradshaw was a strong recruiter for Alabama. ''We called him 'Silver Tongue,''' Gryska said. ''We would get three, four, five recruits a year out of the state of Kentucky.''
After playing under Bryant at Kentucky, Bradshaw returned to Montgomery and coached at Sidney Lanier High School for four years. Then he went back to Kentucky as an assistant under Blanton Collier during 1954-58.
After his work as an assistant under Bryant and the head job at Kentucky, Bradshaw was an assistant at Texas A&M in 1970 and at Vanderbilt in 1971-72 before entering private business. He returned to football at Troy State, about 40 miles south of Montgomery, four years later.
''This is a sad day for Troy State,'' athletic director Johnny Williams said. ''I saw him just yesterday and got the opportunity to visit for an hour. He was in excellent health and was just coming back from the post office, so this is a major shock.''
LEXINGTON - Charlie Bradshaw, head coach of the University of Kentucky football team from 1962-68, died Thursday afternoon in Montgomery, Alabama, at the age of 75.
Bradshaw grew up in Montgomery and attended UK for one semester in 1942 before withdrawing to enter the Marine Corps. He served three years in the Marines, including 19 months of action in the Pacific Theater. After the war, he returned to UK to play for Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. He was a four-year letterman from 1946-49, playing one season at center and three years as an end.
Following graduation, Bradshaw went home to Montgomery and coached four years in junior high school. He returned to UK as an assistant coach (ends and offensive backs) from 1954-58 under Coach Blanton Collier. He rejoined Bryant as the University of Alabama line coach from 1959-61.
Bradshaw succeeded Collier as head coach at UK in 1962 and installed a system of intense conditioning and tough, aggressive play. His disciplined approach was so demanding that his first team began with 88 players but eventually dwindled to 30 players and was known as "The Thin Thirty." The team posted a 3-5-2 record, topped by a 12-10 victory at Tennessee.
Bradshaw's 1964 Wildcats reached .500 with a 5-5 record, including a 27-21 road upset of No. 1-ranked Mississippi. Bradshaw's best Kentucky team was his 1965 unit that posted a 6-4 record, but missed a bowl trip after losing the last two games of the season. Three losing seasons followed and he finished his UK career in 1968 with a seven-year mark of 25-41-4.
Bradshaw was an assistant coach at Texas A&M (1970) and at Vanderbilt (1971-72) before entering private business. He returned to coaching in 1976 as the head coach at Troy (Ala.) State University and had a 41-27-2 mark from 1976 to 1982.
Published in the University of Kentucky Athletic News, June 3, 1999
WORLD WAR II
Son of James Martin and Sadie Sue Finley Bradshaw, husband of Martha Austin.
MONTGOMERY - Former Kentucky football coach Charlie Bradshaw, an Alabama native and Bear Bryant protégé known for his aggressive, disciplined style, died Thursday. He was 75. Bradshaw, who coached at Kentucky from 1962-68 and at Troy State in Alabama from 1976-82, died in Montgomery, where he grew up and had lived in recent years.
Bradshaw, who spent three years with the Marines during World War II, played for Bryant at Kentucky after the war. He lettered four years, three as an end. He eventually rejoined Bryant as an assistant at Alabama during 1959-61, helping win a national championship in his last year before taking the Kentucky job in 1962.
Like Bryant, Bradshaw was a tough field master, with an intense conditioning regime. His disciplined approach was so demanding that his first Kentucky team began with 88 players but dropped to 30 -- ''The Thin Thirty'' as they were known at the time.
He was 25-41-4 at Kentucky, with a 6-4 campaign in his fourth year the peak. He was 41-27-2 in seven years at Troy State, with his first team winning the Gulf State Conference championship.
Clem Gryska, who coached with Bradshaw at Alabama when the Tide won the national title, said Thursday that Bradshaw was a major element in the team's success. ''The kids had a lot of respect for him,'' Gryska said. ''He could turn his cap around and get down in the trenches with them. He was a hands-on coach.'' He said Bradshaw was a strong recruiter for Alabama. ''We called him 'Silver Tongue,''' Gryska said. ''We would get three, four, five recruits a year out of the state of Kentucky.''
After playing under Bryant at Kentucky, Bradshaw returned to Montgomery and coached at Sidney Lanier High School for four years. Then he went back to Kentucky as an assistant under Blanton Collier during 1954-58.
After his work as an assistant under Bryant and the head job at Kentucky, Bradshaw was an assistant at Texas A&M in 1970 and at Vanderbilt in 1971-72 before entering private business. He returned to football at Troy State, about 40 miles south of Montgomery, four years later.
''This is a sad day for Troy State,'' athletic director Johnny Williams said. ''I saw him just yesterday and got the opportunity to visit for an hour. He was in excellent health and was just coming back from the post office, so this is a major shock.''
LEXINGTON - Charlie Bradshaw, head coach of the University of Kentucky football team from 1962-68, died Thursday afternoon in Montgomery, Alabama, at the age of 75.
Bradshaw grew up in Montgomery and attended UK for one semester in 1942 before withdrawing to enter the Marine Corps. He served three years in the Marines, including 19 months of action in the Pacific Theater. After the war, he returned to UK to play for Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. He was a four-year letterman from 1946-49, playing one season at center and three years as an end.
Following graduation, Bradshaw went home to Montgomery and coached four years in junior high school. He returned to UK as an assistant coach (ends and offensive backs) from 1954-58 under Coach Blanton Collier. He rejoined Bryant as the University of Alabama line coach from 1959-61.
Bradshaw succeeded Collier as head coach at UK in 1962 and installed a system of intense conditioning and tough, aggressive play. His disciplined approach was so demanding that his first team began with 88 players but eventually dwindled to 30 players and was known as "The Thin Thirty." The team posted a 3-5-2 record, topped by a 12-10 victory at Tennessee.
Bradshaw's 1964 Wildcats reached .500 with a 5-5 record, including a 27-21 road upset of No. 1-ranked Mississippi. Bradshaw's best Kentucky team was his 1965 unit that posted a 6-4 record, but missed a bowl trip after losing the last two games of the season. Three losing seasons followed and he finished his UK career in 1968 with a seven-year mark of 25-41-4.
Bradshaw was an assistant coach at Texas A&M (1970) and at Vanderbilt (1971-72) before entering private business. He returned to coaching in 1976 as the head coach at Troy (Ala.) State University and had a 41-27-2 mark from 1976 to 1982.
Published in the University of Kentucky Athletic News, June 3, 1999
Son of James Martin and Sadie Sue Finley Bradshaw, husband of Martha Austin.
MONTGOMERY - Former Kentucky football coach Charlie Bradshaw, an Alabama native and Bear Bryant protégé known for his aggressive, disciplined style, died Thursday. He was 75. Bradshaw, who coached at Kentucky from 1962-68 and at Troy State in Alabama from 1976-82, died in Montgomery, where he grew up and had lived in recent years.
Bradshaw, who spent three years with the Marines during World War II, played for Bryant at Kentucky after the war. He lettered four years, three as an end. He eventually rejoined Bryant as an assistant at Alabama during 1959-61, helping win a national championship in his last year before taking the Kentucky job in 1962.
Like Bryant, Bradshaw was a tough field master, with an intense conditioning regime. His disciplined approach was so demanding that his first Kentucky team began with 88 players but dropped to 30 -- ''The Thin Thirty'' as they were known at the time.
He was 25-41-4 at Kentucky, with a 6-4 campaign in his fourth year the peak. He was 41-27-2 in seven years at Troy State, with his first team winning the Gulf State Conference championship.
Clem Gryska, who coached with Bradshaw at Alabama when the Tide won the national title, said Thursday that Bradshaw was a major element in the team's success. ''The kids had a lot of respect for him,'' Gryska said. ''He could turn his cap around and get down in the trenches with them. He was a hands-on coach.'' He said Bradshaw was a strong recruiter for Alabama. ''We called him 'Silver Tongue,''' Gryska said. ''We would get three, four, five recruits a year out of the state of Kentucky.''
After playing under Bryant at Kentucky, Bradshaw returned to Montgomery and coached at Sidney Lanier High School for four years. Then he went back to Kentucky as an assistant under Blanton Collier during 1954-58.
After his work as an assistant under Bryant and the head job at Kentucky, Bradshaw was an assistant at Texas A&M in 1970 and at Vanderbilt in 1971-72 before entering private business. He returned to football at Troy State, about 40 miles south of Montgomery, four years later.
''This is a sad day for Troy State,'' athletic director Johnny Williams said. ''I saw him just yesterday and got the opportunity to visit for an hour. He was in excellent health and was just coming back from the post office, so this is a major shock.''
LEXINGTON - Charlie Bradshaw, head coach of the University of Kentucky football team from 1962-68, died Thursday afternoon in Montgomery, Alabama, at the age of 75.
Bradshaw grew up in Montgomery and attended UK for one semester in 1942 before withdrawing to enter the Marine Corps. He served three years in the Marines, including 19 months of action in the Pacific Theater. After the war, he returned to UK to play for Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. He was a four-year letterman from 1946-49, playing one season at center and three years as an end.
Following graduation, Bradshaw went home to Montgomery and coached four years in junior high school. He returned to UK as an assistant coach (ends and offensive backs) from 1954-58 under Coach Blanton Collier. He rejoined Bryant as the University of Alabama line coach from 1959-61.
Bradshaw succeeded Collier as head coach at UK in 1962 and installed a system of intense conditioning and tough, aggressive play. His disciplined approach was so demanding that his first team began with 88 players but eventually dwindled to 30 players and was known as "The Thin Thirty." The team posted a 3-5-2 record, topped by a 12-10 victory at Tennessee.
Bradshaw's 1964 Wildcats reached .500 with a 5-5 record, including a 27-21 road upset of No. 1-ranked Mississippi. Bradshaw's best Kentucky team was his 1965 unit that posted a 6-4 record, but missed a bowl trip after losing the last two games of the season. Three losing seasons followed and he finished his UK career in 1968 with a seven-year mark of 25-41-4.
Bradshaw was an assistant coach at Texas A&M (1970) and at Vanderbilt (1971-72) before entering private business. He returned to coaching in 1976 as the head coach at Troy (Ala.) State University and had a 41-27-2 mark from 1976 to 1982.
Published in the University of Kentucky Athletic News, June 3, 1999
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