Paul William Bryant experienced his childhood without much. Paul was born September 11, 1913, in Moro Bottom, south-central Arkansas. He was one of eleven other children his parents had. His parents were Monroe and Ida Mae Bryant. His father Monroe was a farmer and his mother Ida Mae was a stay-at-home mother and took care of the home. A few years later in Paul's life, they moved a few miles south to Forge, Arkansas. ("100 Years of Bear") There were about 3,600 people in the town they moved to. ("Paul W Bryant") When Bryant got older, his father became seriously ill, so his mother and bear had to take over the farm for his father. (“Bear Bryant”) When Paul was just thirteen years old he was watching a college football practice. At six foot four he was a thirteen year old and the coach saw the big boy watching them practice. “The team coach approached Bryant and asked him if he had ever played football before. Paul replied: "This is the first time I've seen the game played before." The coach said to him: “see that boy over there? Go over there and try to kill him. Paul started playing and let's say he did what the coach told him to do. When the poor safety caught the ball, Bryant dunked the kid. By next Friday, Bryant had made it to the starting lineup. In his senior year of high school he led his team to the state championship. (“Bear's Story”) One night Bryant and some friends went to a traveling circus. There was a live bear there and the man with him was offering a dollar for every minute you would stay in the cage with the bear. Bear said he would enter the cage with the bear, some people think the reason he entered the cage was to impress a girl. In any case... half the paper... good. His childhood brought him an important part of his life. His childhood brought him the game of football. If it weren't for his college coach when he was 13, Bear wouldn't have even thought about playing and coaching football. After his college years were very good. The Bear was named SEC Coach of the Year (“Bear Bryant Facts”) The Bear was a great football player and has so much toughness. He was known as one of the best coaches who ever lived. He was a tough but good coach. He died soon after retiring from the game he loved. He is remembered for wearing his houndstooth hat. Bear has set a very high standard for all other coaches coming through Alabama and some have come close but are not there yet. The bear will become one of the greatest coaches of any coach in the game of football. He has earned that place in the hearts of so many Alabama fans.