Bobby Bowden Biography: Bobby Bowden was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on November 8, 1929, to Bob Bowden and Sunset Cleckler. Rheumatic fever, which Bowden was diagnosed with at age 13, confined him to bed for nearly two years, both at the hospital and at home. Amidst this time, he cultivated a keen interest in college football and World War II reports. Bowden graduated from Woodlawn High School in Birmingham with distinction in the football department, earning him a scholarship to attend the University of Alabama as a quarterback. However, Bowden returned to his hometown after one semester, eloped with his high school love Ann Astock, and wed. As a consequence, he was incapable of further pursuing his scholarship. Later, he attended Samford University (now Howard College), where he excelled in the sports of football, baseball, and track.
1953 saw the return of Bowden, a graduate of Howard College, where he held the positions of head track and field coach and assistant football coach. Two years later, from 1956 to 1958, he departed to assume the position of athletic director and head coach at South Georgia College. After guiding Howard College to a 31-6 record in 1962, Bowden departed once more after resuming his position as head coach in 1959. 1962 marked Bowden’s promotion to the Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly known as the University Division, the pinnacle of collegiate football. Following his tenure as an assistant coach at Florida State University from 1962 to 1965, he subsequently assumed the same role at West Virginia University from 1966 to 1969. He was subsequently elevated to the position of head coach in 1970, subsequent to the departure of prior head coach Jim Carlen to Texas Tech. Under his direction, the West Virginia Mountaineers made two appearances in the bowl with a 42-26 record.
Bobby Bowden assumed the role of head coach for the Seminoles of Florida State University (F.S.U.) in 1976. During his more than three decades of successful coaching, Bowden achieved notable success. His first year as head coach was a losing one, concluding 1976 with a 5-6 record. Subsequently, the Seminoles completed each season 1987-2000 with a minimum of ten victories and a ranking within the top five of the Associated Press (A.P.) College Football Poll. He led the group to national championship victories in 1993 and 1999, in addition to nine consecutive conference titles (1992-2000), which he either won or shared. In the final years of his coaching tenure, Bobby Bowden vied with Pennsylvania State University head coach Joe Paterno for the record of the most significant victories in college coaching. Joe Paterno prevailed in that contest in 2010, subsequent to the N.C.A.A. nullifying the F.S.U.’s 12 victories from the 2006 and 2007 seasons on account of academic dishonesty. Bowden recorded 377 victories, 129 defeats, and four ties in his career.
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Bobby Bowden Birthday
Bobby Bowden, who was born on November 8, 1929, was one of the most accomplished and prosperous college football coaches in history. After serving as a quarterback for the University of Alabama, he moved on to coach and lead Florida State University to championships, establishing that institution as one of the most competitive in the United States. Bowden oversaw and provided coaching for track and field, basketball, baseball, and track and field teams in addition to college football. He concluded his coaching career as one of the most illustrious figures in the annals of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (N.C.A.A.). Bobby Bowden passed away on August 8, 2021, in Tallahassee, Florida.
Bobby Bowden Biography: Early Life
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Bowden is the son of Bob Bowden and Sunset (née Cleckler) Bowden. Bowden received a medical diagnosis of rheumatic fever at the age of thirteen. A little over a year passed while he was bedridden at home following a six-month hospitalization. While Bowden was ill, he occupied his time by tuning into World War II narratives on the radio; this discovery ignited a lasting fascination with the conflict. During this period, he also developed an interest in college football, tuning in to University of Alabama football broadcasts on Saturday mornings.
Bowden graduated from Woodlawn High School in Birmingham as an outstanding football player, and was awarded a scholarship to play quarterback at the University of Alabama. Midway through the twenty-first century, however, the program declined, and President T.K. Wetherell dismissed Bowden mere weeks after his eightieth birthday, subsequent to a disastrous 2009 season. His final coaching appearance occurred in the 2010 Gator Bowl on January 1, 2010, where his former team, West Virginia, was defeated 33–21.
In the final years of his coaching tenure, Bowden vied with Joe Paterno for the distinction of being the most successful NCAA Division I college football coach of all time. The coaches drew closer together over the course of the 2000s, and were separated by only one game prior to the 2008 college football season.
Bobby Bowden Biography: Personal Life
In 1949, Bowden wed Ann Estock, his childhood beloved; the couple had six children and twenty-one grandchildren. Bowden, a devout Christian, ascribed his exceptional football prowess to his religious beliefs. He provided endorsement and backing to United States President Donald Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.
Additionally, his father coached Division I-A football. His son, Tommy Bowden, served as the Clemson University head coach. Terry Bowden, an additional son, was named Coach of the Year in 1993 while serving as the head coach at Auburn University. Jeff Bowden, the third son, served as Florida State University’s offensive coordinator.
Terry Bowden steered Auburn to a perfect 1993 campaign; Tommy Tulane led Florida State to an undefeated 1998 campaign; and Bobby Florida State led Florida State to a perfect 1999 season. The only Florida State teams to achieve a national championship were those led by Bobby in 1993 and 1999. Bowden was officially diagnosed with COVID-19 in October 2020.
Bowden, according to reports, was diagnosed with a fatal medical condition on July 21, 2021. On July 23, his son disclosed that he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He passed away early in the morning on August 8th. He was interred in the rotunda of the Florida Capitol Building on August 13. His remains were interred outside of Doak Campbell Stadium at the Moore Athletic Center later that day.
A memorial service in honor of Bowden was held at the Tucker Civic Center in Tallahassee on August 14. Bowden was interred in the Reid Chapel at Samford University on August 15, following which he was interred in Trussville, Alabama.
Bobby Bowden Biography: Net Worth and Height
| Name |
Robert Cleckler Bowden |
| Date of Birth |
November 8, 1929 |
| Age | 92 (at the time of his death) |
| Zodiac sign |
Scorpio |
| Height |
5′ 11″ |
| Relationship Status | Married |
| Net Worth |
$14 million |
| Children | N/A |
5 Facts About Bobby Bowden
His numerous personal distinctions include
Bowden has received numerous accolades since beginning his coaching profession, including the N.F.F. Gold Medal, Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year, and Walter Camp Coach of the Year.
He is an inductee into the Hall of Fame.
The American College Football Hall of Fame inducts Bowden.
An award is devoted to him.
The Alabama Sports Foundation and the Over the Mountain Touchdown Club of Birmingham present the annual Bobby Bowden National Collegiate Coach of the Year Award to coaches who exemplify the same qualities that Bowden did.
One of the most prosperous professions
Bobby Bowden concluded his 46-year tenure with 377 victories.
An active Ki Kappa Alpha member
During his time at Howard College, Bowden enrolled in a collegiate fraternity and was elected as the chapter president for both his junior and senior years.
