Bobby Dodd Visual Materials Collection
Collection
Identifier: VAM380
This collection contains photographs illustrating both professional and personal events in Bobby Dodd's life. Photographs include images of Dodd as a child and young man, images from his time at Georgia Tech, as well as images from after his retirement.
(approximately 359 images)
None.
Permission to publish materials from this collection must be obtained from the Head of Archives and Special Collections.
2.5 Linear Feet
This is an artificial collection created by combining two collections of Bobby Dodd materials.
Series 1 contains the materials from the collection originally processed as VAM022. The materials in this series include photographs of Dodd as a child and later as a football player. There are also photographs from his time at Georgia Tech.
Series 2 contains photographs found in Bobby Dodd Stadium. These photographs illustrate both professional and personal events in Coach Dodd's life. Various football players and coaches throughout the years are represented as are numerous awards ceremonies and the 50th wedding anniversary of Bobby and Alice Dodd. Several of these photographs are in poor condition, some were stuck to one another or to the frame glass; other photos have flaking emulsion.
Robert Lee “Bobby” Dodd, the son of Edwin Dodd and Susan Viola Nuckolls Dodd, was born on November 11, 1908, in Galax, Virginia. From there, he moved to Kingsport, Tennessee, where he attended high school. In high school Dodd played as a quarterback for the football team and also participated in a number of other sports. After graduation, he moved on to the University of Tennessee, where he continued his football career. In 1929 and 1930 he was named All-Southern quarterback. Later he would be added to the College Football Hall of Fame (1959) and the National Football Hall of Fame (1961) for his performance.
Dodd became the backfield coach for the Georgia Tech varsity football team in December of 1930. In 1933 he married Alice Davis; they had two children, Linda and Bobby Jr. Dodd remained an assistant coach at Tech for 14 years under Head Coach William Alexander, despite receiving many head coaching offers from other schools. When Alexander left Tech in 1945, Dodd became head coach.
Dodd served as head coach of the Yellow Jackets for 22 years, compiling a 165-64-8 record. Under his coaching, Georgia Tech went to two Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships (in 1951 and 1952), as well as one national championship (in 1952). While he was head coach, Georgia Tech also played in 13 major bowl games, winning nine. Along with coaching, Dodd also served as Director of Athletics at Tech.
As head coach, Dodd developed 22 recognized All America football players and received many national and sectional honors. He was voted “National Coach of the Year” by the New York Daily News poll in 1952, and “Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year” by his fellow coaches in 1951. Even after retiring, he was awarded a special “Citation of Honor” by the Football Writers Association of America for his impressive career and contributions to football.
Dodd had a monumental impact on Georgia Tech, his players, and the college football world. He endeared himself to his players and associates and earned the respect of his opponents.
Although Dodd retired in February of 1966, he remained active in the community until his death on June 21, 1988. That year, Georgia Tech named its football stadium Bobby Dodd Stadium in his honor. In 1989, part of Third Street was rechristened Bobby Dodd Way. In 1993, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach.
This collection is arranged into two series determined by their provenance. Each series is further divided into sub-series based on image subject.
A print copy of this finding aid is available in the Georgia Tech Archives reading room.
Series 1: Accessions #1998.1005 and #1999.049.
Series 2: Accession #2004.124.
Manuscript materials are processed and described separately as the Bobby Dodd Papers MS380.
(approximately 359 images)
Mallory Velten and Mandi D. Johnson processed these visual materials in August 2009.
Part of the Archives and Special Collections, Library, Georgia Institute of Technology Repository