Two Unlikely Rose Bowl Heroes (in 1938, that is)

Irving Berlin Kahn

The University of Alabama in the 1930s was home to a significant population of Jewish students, both from around the state of Alabama, and from other parts of the U.S., particularly the Northeast. Then UA President, Dr. George Denny was very skilled at bringing in students and much needed funds during this period. He recruited actively in Northern newspapers, publicizing the opportunities for a fine education at The University of Alabama at a time when Northern schools had quotas as to how many Jewish students they would admit.

George H. Denny

Such was the case for a young man named Irving Berlin Kahn. Kahn came to UA from New Jersey on a scholarship as a drum major, and led the Million Dollar Band in the 1938 Rose Bowl. Kahn graduated in 1939 with a degree in Business Administration, and went on to a lucrative if somewhat tainted career in the cable industry. He was best known for founding and developing TelePrompTer, the company that developed automatic cue cards for actors and anchormen. Under Kahn’s leadership, TelePrompTer became one of the largest cable companies in the country. And if you are wondering about his name – yes, his Uncle was THE Irving Berlin! And it is worth mentioning that in Jewish tradition, children are not named after living relatives. Perhaps the Kahns found an exception with Mr. Berlin's namesake. Irving Berlin lived to be 101 years old and died in 1989.

Captain of the 1937 football team and All-American guard, Leroy Monsky led the Crimson Tide through an undefeated season, but finally lost to the California Golden Bears in the 1938 Rose Bowl. A native of Montgomery, he was All-State, All-Southern and All-American in football at Sidney Lanier High School. At The University of Alabama he was consensus All- Southeastern as a junior and was All-American as a senior. Frank Thomas and Hank Crisp rated Leroy the "smartest and best guard we ever coached.” And while there aren't an overwelming number of Jewish football heroes, they certainly do exist -- and Leroy Monsky certainly was one of them!

Leroy Monsky

A little postscript -- a tribute to Irving Berlin (with Bernadette Peters and Peter Allen) from the 1982 Oscars, which were hosted by Richard Prior. If you think aren't familiar with Irving Berlin's work, take a listen -- he wrote sooooo many songs, including God Bless America, Easter Parade, and White Christmas.

Irving Berlin (May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Jewish American composer and lyricist and one of the most prolific American songwriters in history. Berlin was one of the few songwriters who wrote both lyrics and music for his songs. He composed over 3,000 songs, seventeen film scores and twenty-one Broadway scores in his 101 years on the planet -- a planet that would have been a very different place without him.

The Archer, the Thief and UA's 1938 Rose Bowl Team

This very cool picture from our collections features The University of Alabama's football team in 1938 -- after their defeat in the Rose Bowl. In the photograph are two men who stand out a little bit -- with elaborate costumes. Who are they? Well, they are Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone, stars of the 1938 film, The Adventures of Robin Hood.


The University of Alabama football team were no slouches -- but it was never clear (to me, anyway) exactly why they ended up on this particular movie set, with these particular actors -- until just this week when the connection came in the form of a television show on sharp shooters on the History Channel. The probable connection? Howard Hill!



Who? While he may not be a household name in every household, Howard Hill certainly was a man who had his share of the limelight. Hill, known by many as the "World's Greatest Archer" (and "Ol' One Shot") was born November 13, 1899 in Wilsonville, Alabama. He won 196 consecutive field archery tournaments between 1926 and 1942, and also won the International field meet in 1942.

Hill was a Hollywood stuntman and consultant, working with actors and on movie sets from the late 1930s through the 1950s. Among his many credits include that of archery instructor and stuntman for The Adventures of Robin Hood!



In fact, Hill and Robin Hood title character star Errol Flynn were longtime friends -- here they are fishing together aboard Flynn's yacht.



According to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, (he was inducted in 1971) Howard Hill "took more than 2,000 game animals and 1,000 reptiles and fish in 12 countries.... and was the first man to kill a bull elephant with a bow and arrow." Cover details featured here are from books from the Hoole Alabama Collection, Hunting the Hard Way, and Wild Adventure. Both recount Hill's encounters with wild animals around the world as well as a broad range of advise and information for the budding archer or archery enthusiast-- he not only was an archery superstar, but also designed and made all of his own equipment. 


Hill's legacy lives on in fiction through DC Comics' Green Arrow series. In the comic, Oliver Queen (aka "The Emerald Archer") refers to Howard Hill as his childhood hero, and it eventually ends up that Hill bestows upon Queen the legendary bow that he used on the set of The Adventures of Robin Hood. When Queen dies, his son Conner Hawke takes over the family business -- fighting crime with Hill's legendary Robin Hood bow -- it's fiction meets fact meets fiction!

So it seems -- the Archer (Hill) and the Thief (Robin Hood/Errol Flynn) and the 1938 Rose Bowl team come together here - connected through Hill and with all probability someone knowing someone from back home in Alabama -- but not from school. Howard Hill not only was a heck of an archer, but he also played baseball for that other big school on the other side of the state -- Auburn University.