Iconic Bear Bryant Fedora Hits The Auction Block

TUSCALOOSA, AL. — Those looking to own a cherished piece of Alabama football history can now bid on one of the iconic fedoras worn by legendary Crimson Tide coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. As the story goes, Bryant began wearing the fedora-style hat in the late 1960s, with the look reverberating to the present day as fans of all ages can still be seen sporting the look on Saturdays in the fall.

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One of the hats originally worn by Bryant is on the auction block through Lelands 2020 Fall Classic Auction, with bidding starting at $500 on Nov. 11. As of the publication of this story, seven bids had been made, the highest of which currently sits at $887.

Click here to place bids or check the status of the auction.

The hat at auction, which actually features a black and white shepherd check design and not the listed houndstooth pattern, is sized at 7 3/8″ and bidding is set to end at 10 p.m. local time on Dec. 11.

Leland's says the hat shows heavy wear with a feather in the band and comes with a red satin liner. It also features "The Original Paul Bear Bryant" logo in the center and a gold replica signature on the sweatband.

"The man who willed it to our consignor's grandfather was a local furniture salesman and he got it as a gift from a friend who owned a hotel," Lelands said in the auction item's description. "Bryant had left his hat there, the hotel owner called the coach to tell him about it, but the coach said 'you could have it' as he had others."

Bryant won six national championships with the Crimson Tide from 1958-1982 on his way to compiling a career record of 323–85–17, making him the winningest college football coach in the nation at the time.

One 1980 appearance on "The Bear Bryant Show" saw the coach comment on his style, telling the press as he fiddled with a fedora that "They quit making these things and I had to have 'em to be myself."

To learn more about the legendary Crimson Tide football coach, tour the Paul W. Bryant Museum or visit its website here.

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