Bobby Wilson

Robert C. "Bobby" Wilson graduated from Baldwin County High School in Bay Minette, Alabama where he was a standout on the football field, played baseball and basketball. He also played football at the University of Alabama on a scholarship from 1948-1952. Wilson served as the Captain of the 1952 Orange Bowl team that defeated Syracuse 61-6. After college, Wilson served two years in the Army at Ft. Stewart, GA, and Fort McPherson, CA. Wilson began his career in Boca Ciega, Florida in 1955 where he served as an assistant coach for two seasons and the head coach for one year. He served as a head football coach for only 14 seasons, one year at St. Petersburg, Florida, and 13 years at Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery. His teams won six State Championships, including 3 consecutive (1966-67-68). Bobby Wilson established a legacy of excellence at Sidney Lanier during a 13-year span (1959-69) that will not soon be matched in Alabama high school football. His teams won six state championships, 1957, 1961, 1964, 1966, 1967 and 1968. The 1957 team finished 8-0-1 and were named State Champions by the Montgomery Advertiser. The three in a row were Class 6A championships during the first three seasons of the new AHSAA playoff system. The Poets also won several state titles in other sports during Wilsons eight year tenure as athletic director, including football, basketball and track in 1966-67. He played in the inaugural Alabama North-South All-Star football game in 1948 and was the South head coach in the 1962 game. Wilsons overall record in twelve seasons (1957-68) as the head football coach at Lanier is 92-24-6. His teams went a perfect 6-0 in the state playoffs. Wilson was inducted into the Baldwin County High School Hall of Fame, the Montgomery Area Hall of Fame, and the Alabama High School Athletic Association Sports Hall of Fame. Coach Wilson, 75, died Monday, June 6, 2005.