Capturing the history of one of the greatest controversies in SEC history is no easy task, but that’s something David E. Sumner accomplished in his latest nonfiction book, Fumbled Call. The story involves legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant, Georgia AD Wally Butts (who was UGA’s winningest coach in school history at the time), the Supreme Court of the United States, the Saturday Evening Post, and a humble insurance salesman from Atlanta named George Burnett.

If you are unfamiliar with the subject, Butts, serving as Georgia’s active AD, was accused of providing information on the Bulldogs to Bryant leading up to the 1962 season opener against Alabama — the Crimson Tide would go on to beat the Bulldogs 35-0 in the game. Burnett claimed to have been accidentally wired into their conversation by an operator and his notes taken from the discussion between the two legendary figures led to an explosive story later published in the national magazine Saturday Evening Press. After resigning from his position in Athens, Butts sued the publication and the case was taken to the Supreme Court.

The obvious question here is why an AD would potentially sabotage his own athletic department? That’s a complicated question, but the scenario that existed in Athens in the early 1960s might have been ideal for such an unprecedented action.

Before becoming UGA’s AD, Butts was Georgia’s football coach. Not only did he roam the sideline in Athens for over 20 years, he led the Bulldogs to three SEC titles and six major bowl games — winning five. Considering UGA had never won the league, nor been to a bowl game before he took over, he was largely considered the best head coach in school history. However, as with nearly all college coaches, his program slipped in his final years and he was removed from his position against his desires and had no hand in hiring his replacement — Johnny Griffith. Butts was kept on as the AD so he could collect on his full retirement pension, which he would be awarded by working at UGA until 1963.

Another fascinating aspect of the story, Butts and Bryant both openly acknowledged frequent communication during this time — and credit card phone receipts confirm their communication. Bryant claimed he just wanted tips on helping his passing game, an aspect of the game Butts was best known for coaching.

Adding more credit to Burnett’s story, Dr. Frank Rose, Alabama’s president at the time, wrote a confidential letter to Georgia president O.C. Aderhold that has only added to the controversy of the story. Here is the key excerpt of that letter in Sumner’s book:

“Coach Bryant asked Coach Butts to let him know what the plays were, and on September 14 he called Coach Bryant and told him … The (Alabama) defenses were changed and Coach Bryant was grateful to Coach Butts for calling this to his attention … Coach Bryant informs me that calling this to his attention may have favored the University of Alabama team, but that he doubts it seriously. He did say that it prevented him from using illegal plays after the new change of rules.” (Butts was a member of the rules committee in addition to being AD.)

Fumbled Call does an excellent job of providing extensive background on all the players involved in the story, in particular, Burnett — who has been attacked relentlessly by Alabama and Georgia supporters following his decision to go public with his allegations — and the court case surrounding the events. Sumner wrote the book after researching 3,000 pages of letters, depositions and trial transcripts.

Any historical fan of the SEC, regardless of your allegiance to school, will enjoy this great read that combines football, history, intrigue, courtroom drama, and the fiery passion that’s associated with the Southeastern Conference that’s been around since the formation of the league, unlike any other Southern tale.

About the Author

David E. Sumner, a graduate of the University of Tennessee, is a professor emeritus of journalism at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., where he taught for 25 years. He has written seven books.

Fumbled Call was published by McFarland (www.mcfarlandpub.com; order line number: 800-253-2187) and can be found on all major ebook providers (Amazon, Google Play, Kindle, etc.) and traditional retailers. pISBN: 978-1-4766-7141-3, eISBN: 978-1-4766-3234-6.