William A. Alexander Photograph Collection (VAM145)

Biography of William Anderson Alexander

William Anderson Alexander was born June 6, 1889, in Mud River Kentucky, the son of Luther and Gertrude Anderson. He entered Tech in 1906, as an Apprentice and graduated in 1912, with a B. S. degree in Civil Engineering. After graduation, he became a mathematics instructor and assistant football coach under John Heisman. In 1918, he was called to serve in World War I, but in 1919, Alexander returned to Tech to assume the position of head football coach. He would hold this position until his retirement in 1944, but continued on as Athletic Director until his death in 1950.

Throughout his lifetime, Alexander won numerous awards for his team's accomplishments and his attitude towards his athletes. He was known as a tough coach, but a man who was well respected by athletes and faculty members. For instance, he was awarded Coach of the Year in 1942, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame posthumously in 1950. During his career at Tech, he won 133 games, had 95 losses, and eight tied games. Alexander was also the first football coach to take his team to four football bowl games.

Alexander married Marie MacIntrye Scott on June 1, 1935, in Tallulah Falls, Georgia. They had no children, but Alexander helped raise Marie's daughter, Rebekah Scott (Mrs. Morris Marion Bryan, Jr.), from a former marriage. William Alexander died on April 23, 1950.

Description

The photographs in this collection document the life of William Alexander during his college days at Georgia Tech (1906-1912) through the late 1940s.

Series 1 contains individual photographs of Alexander. Series 2 is group photographs of Alexander pictured with mainly unidentified individuals. Series 3 is miscellaneous photographs (football games and Alexander Memorial Coliseum).