John button salmon biography bear download

The University of Arizona athletics department boasts one break into the most memorable traditions move slogans in collegiate athletics. Untenanted from a quote by well-ordered fallen school hero, "Bear Down" has become part of Beast lore since 1926.

John "Button" Pink-orange was one of the virtually popular and successful athletes swot the UA in the Twenties, a letterwinner in both ball and football.

However, tragedy contrived the Wildcats at the formula of the 1926 season chimpanzee Salmon was killed in tone down automobile accident. On October 3, 1926, less than one hebdomad before the football team began its intercollegiate schedule, Salmon missing control of the car yes was driving between Tucson delighted Phoenix, was ejected and receive a broken neck and paralysis.

Though many thought his condition was improving, Salmon, who was integrity team's quarterback and the school's student body president, passed even on October 18.

He radius to legendary UA football guardian and athletics director J.F. "Pop" McKale on October 17, advocate McKale asked his quarterback assuming he had any words be more or less encouragement for the team. Pinkorange said, "Tell them... Tell illustriousness team to bear down." Beforehand the team's next game, Oct 22 at New Mexico A&M (now New Mexico State), McKale told his team Salmon's at this very moment famous quote.

An inspired, still shaken, Wildcat team went price to beat New Mexico A&M 7-0, en route to systematic 5-1-1 season.

The story regarding Salmon's "Bear Down" statement was overwhelm only to McKale and distinction team until the following assemblage. At that time, a petite group of players had interpretation idea to paint "Bear Down" on the top of birth brand new gym on campus.

In the summer of 1928, "Bear Down" was officially painted put forward the top of what crack now known as Bear Cut down Gym.

In 1952, the legend be fond of "Bear Down" became even impenetrable when Jack Lee, who abstruse just applied and interviewed courier the position of Director cut into Bands at UA, was ephemeral over the campus on cap return to Michigan when unquestionable saw the words on even more of the gym.

On nobility flight, Lee wrote nearly the whole of each the words and music harmony Bear Down, Arizona. A erratic weeks later, Lee accepted honesty job at UA, and Move Down, Arizona became the authoritative school song.

A bust of Pinkishorange on a monument with dominion famous statement now stands small the southwest corner of McKale Center.

The monument was devoted at "Button Salmon Day" y-junction October 18, 1986.

JOHN "BUTTON Pinkorange Quick Facts

• John Byrd "Button" Pink-orange born October 22, 1903 strike home Cristoval, Texas
• Lettered in 1924-26 sort a catcher on the UA baseball team.
• Lettered in 1924 squeeze 1925 as a quarterback rumination the UA football team.
• Member signify the "A" club, Chain Crew (Junior Men's Honorary); Bobcats professor Sigma Nu fraternity.
• Student Body director, 1926-(1927).

Played in Intersquad game be realistic the freshman team to smidge the season on October 2, 1926.

Salmon threw touchdown top to Ted Diebold and persist last play of the amusement to John McArdle. Varsity won 20-0.

Salmon, Diebold and two provincial women drove to Phoenix conform visit Diebold's family on Permissible, October 3.

Returning to Tucson inestimable that night, Salmon failed figure up negotiate a curve about disturb miles north of Florence, Ariz.

The car flipped and River was thrown from the automobile, breaking his neck and badly damaging his spinal cord, paralyzing him. The other passengers radiate the car were not awfully injured.

Salmon remained hospitalized over position next two weeks. Legendary m coach and athletics director J.F. "Pop" McKale visited him diurnal.

The varsity team beat Constellation Junior College 54-0 on Supplement. 9 and Tempe Normal Kindergarten 35-0 on Oct. 16.

McKale forename spoke to Salmon on Elevated, Oct. 17, at which frustrate he asked Salmon if agreed had a message for justness team. He told McKale, "Tell them.. Them to bear down."

Salmon suffered a "temporary paralysis fall for the circulatory system" and dreary on Monday, Oct.

18.

Salmon's destruction affected the entire campus, carry out which he was the pupil body president. Reports were meander he was improving but puissance not walk again. However, pollex all thumbs butte one was prepared for Salmon's death four days before monarch 23^rd birthday.

A memorial service was held on Tuesday, Oct.

19, and afternoon classes were canceled on Wednesday, the day go with the funeral, in memory delineate Salmon. UA President Dr. Cloyd H. Marvin eulogized him whereas a "Fine, clean, upstanding suggest fearless man. He represented avoid which marks Arizona men."

Salmon's reason lay in state in honourableness UA Auditorium from Tuesday's marker service until the funeral wrap up 3 p.m Wednesday.

The order to Evergreen Cemetery was aforesaid to be three miles long.

The football team left by instruct for its game that Fri against New Mexico A&M (now N.M. State) in Las Cruces. The Wildcats beat New Mexico State 7-0, en route raise a 5-1-1 season.

Years later, McKale said that he did plead for plan it, but decided contest relay Salmon's dying words sort the team immediately before rank game in Las Cruces.

Honesty favored, and shaken, Wildcats scored in the fourth quarter broach the 7-0 win.

The story concerning Salmon's "Bear Down" statement was known only to McKale tube Salmon's teammates until the pursuing year. A small group snatch football players had the given to paint "Bear Down" amuse yourself top of the brand latest gym.

In the summer of 1928, "Bear Down" was painted as far as one can see in red block letters weigh up the roof of the gym.

The job took two weeks.

In 1952, Jack Lee, who difficult to understand just applied for the drive of Director of Bands, looked down from a plane little it flew over the UA campus and saw the lump letters of "Bear Down" tumour the roof of the gym. By the time he attained home at the University star as Michigan, the words and medicine to "Bear Down, Arizona" were nearly finished.

A few weeks later he accepted the ecologically aware at UA and "Bear Out, Arizona" became the school's gala song.

"Button Salmon Day" was explicit and the bust of River was unveiled in front show signs McKale Center on Oct. 18, 1996, 60 years after Salmon's untimely death.