Remembering legendary Huntsville sports writer John Pruett
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
John Pruett, legendary Huntsville Times sports editor, columnist, remembered as ‘something special’
John Pruett worked for The Huntsville Times for more than 40 years. He was named Alabama’s Sportswriter of the Year 17 times by the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. The late Don Mincher once called Pruett, “the most interesting, fair and entertaining columnist I’ve ever read anywhere.” Pruett died Tuesday after a long illness, his friend Mark McCarter said. He had been the Times’ sports editor and primary columnist until his retirement in 2008.. His final column, titled “A final offering, humbly served,” appeared in The Times on Monday, March 31, 2008. Pruett was a native of Cullman and a graduate of Auburn High School. He also had a bachelor”s degree from Auburn University and a master’S from the University of Georgia, Pruett first went to work at the old Huntsville News before being hired at The Times in 1966. He covered high school and college athletics and other local sports.
Pruett’s death was confirmed to AL.com by Mark McCarter, his longtime Huntsville Times colleague and close friend. During his tenure at The Times, Pruett became an institution in Huntsville and north Alabama, and something of a moral authority in the community, McCarter said.
“He came up during that era where as a columnist, you did all the big-time stuff,” McCarter said. “He went to the Masters, he went to the Olympics, he went to all the big college football games. But when John would talk about his career, he said the most fun he ever had was early on covering local sports, high schools. That was the ‘big-time’ stuff to him. Those people that John wrote about when he started out in his career in the 1960s, those are the guys who became his circle of friends as the years went on.
“… Through much of his career, there were other ‘screaming’ columnists who were just consistently, constantly ripping institutions and teams and coaches. With John it was more like with your parents, where you’d much rather for your parents to yell at you than to say ‘I’m disappointed in you.’ When John wrote something negative about a team or institution, it was like, ‘uh oh.’ Those people paid attention because John was disappointed in them. It had more impact than all the yelling of a dozen other columnists.”
A native of Cullman and a graduate of Auburn High School who had a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and a master’s from the University of Georgia, Pruett first went to work at the old Huntsville News before being hired at The Times in 1966. He covered high school and college athletics and other local sports before being elevated to sports editor upon Bill Easterling’s departure in 1974.
Pruett served as the Times’ sports editor and primary columnist until his retirement in 2008. Among many other honors, he was named Alabama’s Sportswriter of the Year 17 times by the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association (now the National Sports Media Association).
The late Don Mincher, a Huntsville native who played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball and was later owner of the Huntsville Stars minor league baseball team and president of the Double-A Southern League, once called Pruett, “the most interesting, fair and entertaining columnist I’ve ever read anywhere.”
“He’s just a delight,” Mincher said upon Pruett’s retirement from The Times in 2008. “Throughout the years, I’ve just enjoyed him so much.”
Pruett’s final column, titled “A final offering, humbly served,” appeared in The Times on Monday, March 31, 2008. Bill Bryant, then the paper’s executive sports editor, wrote that headline.
Bryant joined the Huntsville Times as a high school sports writer in 1993 and eventually moved into management during a 19-year stay at the paper. Now a teacher, Bryant said he and Pruett — whose parents were both career educators — connected well.
“I’ve never met anybody who could put you more at ease than that guy,” Bryant told AL.com. “Our business, it could be sort of cutthroat, and there’s a lot of egos — you need that confidence and things like that — but John was just unique in that he didn’t have an ego. He knew what he was writing was important to fans, but you never got that sense that it was about him, ever.
“… He had the respect of everybody, and that’s something that’s also not easily achieved. He was our rock in the newsroom. It’s funny, there would be people who didn’t get along with each other at all, but they all loved John. … If I ever wanted someone to write my obit or write a column about anything, John would be my pick. Whenever there was a big event, I always looked forward to his column. He was something special.”
Philip Marshall, who worked with Pruett at The Huntsville Times for 17 years and now writes for AuburnUndercover.com, said he visited his old boss Tuesday. Marshall first met Pruett when he went to work at the Huntsville News in 1969, and later joined Pruett’s Huntsville Times staff following a stint in Montgomery.
“He is the most selfless, kind, genuine man I think I’ve ever known,” Marshall told AL.com. “He was willing to do anything to help people and, of course, he was a terrific writer and friend. … We were friends and colleagues the whole time I’ve been in the business, which is a long time.”
Pruett, Marshall and photographer Robin Conn made a memorable road trip by car from Huntsville to upstate New York to cover the 2001 Auburn-Syracuse football game, the first college football game played in the state of New York following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. During the trip, Conn snapped a wonderful photo of Pruett lying down reading the newspaper in the back seat, with Marshall at the wheel.
“We decided to drive to Syracuse not so much because we were afraid as much as we were concerned that planes were going to be disrupted, which turned out not to be the case,” Marshall recalled. “We drove from Huntsville to Syracuse — John and me and Robin Conn. We had a great time. We went to Niagara Falls on the way up there, but it’s a long drive. John liked to do that. He would get in the back seat and lie down sometimes.”
Huntsville Times sports editor John Pruett reads the paper lying in the backseat during a road trip to Syracuse, N.Y., for the 2001 Auburn-Syracuse football game. Times sports writer Philip Marshall is shown at the wheel, with photographer Robin Conn in the passenger seat. Pruett, who worked for the Times from 1966-2008, died Wednesday at age 83. (Huntsville Times file photo by Robin Conn)HVT
Pruett was also remembered as a loyal supporter of sports journalism in the state, even of those who were considered the competition. Paul Finebaum, who spent many years as a sports writer and columnist at the Birmingham Post-Herald before transitioning into radio and television for ESPN and the SEC Network, recalled Pruett being a constant presence at the November 1982 trial in which the Post-Herald — including Finebaum and sports editor Bill Lumpkin Jr. — was being sued for libel due to its coverage of alleged recruiting irregularities involving Huntsville high school basketball star Bobby Lee Hurt.
“Every single day during an almost two-week trial, I would look in the back of the courtroom and sitting in the final row was John Pruett,” Finebaum told AL.com. “I asked Lumpkin about it one day and he said that John took vacation. By the way, we aren’t talking about a down time of the year. The trial ended on the Wednesday before the Iron Bowl and started the previous week. John took vacation time, and he did it not to cover (the trial). He did write about it when it was over, but on a daily basis it was covered by the court reporter. John was there to support Lumpkin and support journalism because he believed in what we had done even though it wreaked havoc in his community.
“He made sure to be seen talking to us in the hallway, and I know it was intentional. He wanted anyone who was looking, including the jurors, to know that the most influential sports figure in local media was supporting us, and that was critically important. It may have helped us overcome long odds. When you think about that sacrifice, he didn’t do it for personal gain. He didn’t do it for anything other than he believed in what we were trying to do. And at that time, it wasn’t easy to support someone going against the grain, and we were definitely bucking the system involving a player directly and indirectly who had already enrolled at Alabama.”
David Housel, the longtime sports information director at Auburn who later became the school’s athletics director, remembered Pruett as a “good, good man” and “of the best professionals I’ve ever known in my 79 years on this earth.”
“He was objective,” Housel told AL.com. “He could ask the sharp, probing questions, but he was always humane in how he did it. The people who worked with him respected him. The people he interviewed and who had to answer those tough questions respected him. In his day and time, he was one of the best, always will be. In this day and time, he would have been a rare commodity in journalism.
“They don’t make them like John Pruett anymore. That is journalism’s loss, sports’ loss and the country’s loss. I don’t know I ever heard John say a bad word or a negative word about anybody. He could disagree without being disagreeable.”
In 2014, Pruett and George Smith of The Anniston Star were the first recipients of the Mel Allen Media Award by the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. He was twice the recipient of the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Herby Kirby Award for story of the year, winning in 1978 and 1986.
Pruett is a member of the ASWA Hall of Fame, and in 2022 was named one of the organization’s 50 Legends. He is one of three people to complete the ASWA “Grand Slam” — Hall of Fame, Herby Kirby Award, Bill Shelton Award (community service through journalism) and serve as the organization’s president.
Pruett survived a bout with prostate cancer in 2001, which he wrote about in the pages of The Times. He was inspired to get tested after chronicling the recovery of Hall-of-Fame high school basketball coach Jack Doss, who had battled the same disease the previous year.
For many years, the winning team of the Huntsville City Classic basketball tournament (previously the Huntsville Times Classic) has been awarded the John Pruett Championship Trophy.
“I had been here a year or so and really hadn’t met John Pruett,” said Doss, who has won nearly 900 games and 10 state championships during stints at Hayes, Butler, J.O. Johnson, Mae Jemison and Grissom. “John called me about doing a story. I said, ‘John, I never felt I was a part of Huntsville until you wrote an article on me.’ After that, we were good friends. Great writer.”
Longtime Huntsville Times sports editor and columnist John Pruett, right, is shown with then-J.O. Johnson basketball coach Jack Doss during the 2014 Huntsville City Basketball Classic. The event’s championship trophy is named in honor of Pruett, who worked at The Times from 1966-2008 and died Wednesday at age 83. (AL.com file photo by Bob Gathany)AL.com
Long after his retirement, Pruett and fellow former sports writers Clyde Bolton and Wayne Martin of the Birmingham News would be special guests at Jacksonville State football games. Gamecocks athletics director Greg Seitz and sports information director Josh Underwood reserved seats for the trio in the front row of the press box at Burgess-Snow Field (now AmFirst Stadium), though they rarely stayed until the game’s end.
“John Pruett was a giant in Alabama sports journalism and a true friend to so many of us in the athletics world,” Seitz told AL.com. “His words captured not just the scores, but the stories and the spirit of the games we love. For decades, John told those stories with integrity, grace, and a touch of wit that was uniquely his. He had a remarkable ability to make both the legendary and the local feel equally important. I will miss his friendship, his wisdom, and his voice in our state’s sports conversation. He leaves a legacy that few can match.”
Pruett served more than 20 years in the U.S. Army Reserve, rising to the rank of Master Sergeant, the second-highest rank for an enlisted service member. A longtime member of Huntsville’s Sherwood Baptist Church, he was a part of the Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 1989, as well as the Athletic Booster Club of Huntsville Hall of Fame (1986) and was presented the Distinguished Alabama Community Journalist Award by the Auburn University School of Journalism in 2007.
Pruett’s wife of 57 years, Barbara Macomber Pruett — known as Bobbi — died in 2022. John and Bobbi Pruett had three children — sons Tom Pruett and Patrick Pruett, and daughter Afton Pruett Travens — seven grandchildren and two step-great grandchildren.
Visitation for Pruitt will be from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, June 30, at Sherwood Baptist Church in Huntsville, followed immediately by the funeral with Robbie Boyd and John Dees officiating. Burial will be in Huntsville’s Maple Hill Cemetery.
Legendary HS football coach John Meadows passes away
Meadows coached at Hanceville (1955-56), Gordo (1957-58), Scottsboro ( 1959-65), Butler (1966-78) and Lincoln County, Tenn. (1979-88) His 1982 Lincoln County team went 13-1 and won a Class AAA state title. “He’s the best football coach I’ve ever known,” said John Kirk, who coached under Meadows at Butler. “You had to be ready for anything when you played him,” said Jim Caneer, who played his senior season under Meadows in 1966. “I can’t put into words what he meant to me personally,” said Larrie Robinson, who worked with Meadows at Grissom for 20 years. ” Everywhere he’s been, he has been a winner,” said David O’Connor, who helped Meadows at Giles County. “It was a battle every year,” said former Huntsville Times sports editor Pru Pruett. “Off-Tackle” was Meadows’ nickname.
Hall of fame high school football coach John Meadows, who won 271 games and two state titles over 34 seasons, died Wednesday at the age of 94.
John Meadows in 2002. (John Ferry/AL.com)
Meadows coached at Hanceville (1955-56), Gordo (1957-58), Scottsboro (1959-65), Butler (1966-78) and Lincoln County, Tenn. (1979-88). His 1965 Scottsboro team went 10-0 and was named Class 3A state champion by the Birmingham News and the Associated Press. His 1982 Lincoln County team went 13-1 and won a Class AAA state title. The Falcons play at Meadows-Thompson Stadium, named after Meadows and his successor, Louis Thompson.
“He’s the best football coach I’ve ever known,” said John Kirk, who coached under Meadows at Butler. “He is one of the best in dealing with all kinds of kids. He knew how to get along with all of the players. He loved them and appreciated what they were doing.”
Meadows is a member of the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame (Class of 1993), Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame (1989 inaugural class), Morgan County Sports Hall of Fame (Class of 1993), Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame (Class of 2004), Jackson County Sports Hall of Fame (2014 inaugural class), Pickens County Athletic Hall of Fame (Class of 1995) and Jacksonville State Hall of Fame (Class of 1986).
After stepping down as a head coach, Meadows helped on several staffs, including Lee-Huntsville and Columbia.
Meadows’ 94 wins at Butler – which played its final season in 2014 – were the most in program history. His 1971 Rebels squad went 9-2 and lost to Decatur in the Class 4A state championship game. The 1967 Butler team won a program-record 11 games and finished as the 4A runner-up to Sidney Lanier.
“He was just a really great person,” said Jim Caneer, who played his senior season under Meadows in 1966, and later served as an assistant at Butler under Meadows in the late 1970s. “He touched thousands of kids’ lives, all in a positive way. He enjoyed life and loved football. In later years he enjoyed watching games and helping coaches, such as David O’Connor at Giles County. He stayed active in it. Everywhere he’s been, he has been a winner. He was just good for a school, talking and encouraging. It was a positive influence on a school and community. I can’t put into words what he meant to me personally.”
Meadows attended Falkville High. He served in the Air Force in World War II and was a Jacksonville State graduate. He played receiver for the Gamecocks, was a Little All-American and was named to Jacksonville State’s all-time football team in 1983.
Visitation is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Calvary Baptist in Scottsboro. The funeral service will follow at 2.
Meadows’ Jackson County Sports Hall of Fame induction video
Remembering John Meadows
Tom Owen, Huntsville High football coach 1964-74: “He was a wonderful coach. He was successful and he was a friend. We met many times. You had to be ready for anything when you played him. It was a battle every year. I can’t say I enjoyed every game, but I appreciated his talent. We were successful a lot, and he was successful a lot.”
Larrie Robinson, Grisssom football coach 1970-88: “He was a super person and a fantastic coach. He was hard to go up against. I was assistant to coach Meadows at Scottsboro for seven years. and he took me to Butler. He helped me get the head coach job at Grissom, where I stayed for 20 years. The only thing I could beat him in was fishing. He didn’t want to lose at anything. He was a great athlete and could play it all.”
John Pruett, former Huntsville Times sports editor: His coaching rivals and even his own assistant coaches used to call him “Off-Tackle John.”
John Meadows didn’t mind. Quite the opposite, in fact. He embraced it. It was the perfect good natured tease for a quintessential old-fashioned high school football coach who, to borrow a phrase from the late Paul Bryant, was always nothing but a winner.
“Yeah, I’ve heard all that ‘Off-Tackle John’ stuff and this, that and the other,” Meadows once told The Huntsville Times in an interview back in the late 1970s, during the heyday of football at Butler High School. “I like it when they say that. The best way to win football games is play good defense when they’ve got the ball and run the football when you’ve got the ball, and the best way to run the football is to find yourself a good tough back who can run off-tackle. You’ll win a lot of football games if you can do those two things.”
A personal footnote: The most fun I ever had in 42 years as a sportswriter in Huntsville was from the mid-1960s to early ’70s when my main beat was the high schools and John Meadows was coaching football at Butler, Tom Owen was coaching football at Huntsville and Keith Wilson was coaching football at Lee. They were three distinctly different personalities but they shared one common trait: All were born winners.
The Wildcat Nation is saddened by the passing of legendary Football Coach John Meadows. But we are eternally grateful for the contributions of this man. One of the reasons it is so Great To Be A Scottsboro Wildcat! pic.twitter.com/qYdI5UxjDv — Scottsboro High School (@SCT_Wildcats) August 16, 2018
……… my heart is heavy with the passing of Coach John Meadows …….. pic.twitter.com/qaucGqajIB — pmhsports.com (@pmhsports) August 16, 2018
“Heroes get remembered…but legends never die.” B. Ruth
Coach John Meadows was both. pic.twitter.com/FW9lRz0SO3 — Dan Styles (@coachdstyles) August 16, 2018
SJHS is saddened to hear of the passing of Scottsboro Coaching legend Coach John Meadows. We appreciate the contributions Coach Meadows made to the lives of the young men he coached. pic.twitter.com/OuRKrfVV1i — Scottsboro Jr. High (@Sct_Jr_High) August 15, 2018
Our thoughts and prayers are with Coach John Meadows family. A true legend that touched many lives. Thank you Coach Meadows. We love you and will miss you. — Lincoln County (@LCFalconHoops) August 15, 2018
This time last year, in his 90’s, Coach Meadows was still coaching strong. All who coached/played for him remember how special he was. @BJHS_Football @wildsaucey pic.twitter.com/QPwNEdzhP7 — Bryan Styles (@patriotdefense) August 16, 2018
Boys Basketball: Joshua Langford leads Madison Academy to a 67-49 win over Huntsville (photos, video)
Madison Academy beats Huntsville 67-49 in opening round of Huntsville Times Classic. Mustangs advance to meet James Clemens on Friday at 10:30 a.m. Madison Academy led 16-8 after one quarter, 32-21 at the half, and 53-33 after three quarters. Huntsville’s Chance Fisher led his team with 21 points and 12 rebounds, Justin Alexander got 15.
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — Joshua Langford’s statistics looked mighty impressive, especially for a sophomore.
Langford produced 28 points against Huntsville, 14 of those in the first quarter and 22 in the first half as the Mustangs defeated the Panthers 67-49 in the opening round of the Huntsville Times Classic. Langford also claimed six rebounds.
Langford was 10-for-15 from the floor and 6-for-6 at the foul line.
The Mustangs advance to meet James Clemens on Friday at 10:30 a.m.
Langford was not exactly knocked over by his effort.
“Like it was just another day,” he said. “During Christmas break I was in the gym shooting, getting ready for this tournament.”
Langford added he believed the Mustangs began Thursday exceptionally well, and after slacking off some in the second quarter they picked it back up in the third period.
Huntsville went with a 3-2 defense. The Panthers did it while missing Johnny Komara and Bruce Bowlin due to either injury or illness.
“It was kind of hard,” said Huntsville’s Chance Fisher, who led his team with 21 points and 12 rebounds. “They’re (defending) 3A state champs. Langford is a top-ten prospect. He’s pretty good.”
Madison Academy led 16-8 after one quarter, 32-21 at the half, and 53-33 after three quarters. A Sam Briggs basket with 5:38 remaining gave the Mustangs their biggest lead, 24 points at 60-36.
Quan Cothron added 11 points for the Mustangs. Justin Alexander got 15 for Huntsville.