Bob Roberts

“The older I get, the better I was.” – Bob Roberts, 2006

Bob Roberts scored two touchdowns in his very first high school football game. He and the Marshall County High School Wildcat football players at the start of 1942 wore leather helmets with no face masks, later switching to the plastic type. Roberts played both offense and defense and was considered a “triple threat” who could pass, run and kick.

In 1943, on a winless team, Bob made first team All-State. With him in the backfield was Harry Gilmer of Woodlawn, who went on to fame at the University of Alabama and in the pros. There were only 11 players around the state from all size schools to make the first team.

Captain Bob Roberts, a 155-lb. halfback, led the 1944 Wildcats to a 6-3 record and two wins each over Albertville and Boaz. The dual wins over both schools were possible because of gas rationing due to World War II. Coach John Tyson’s Wildcat team, like many others, played nearby teams twice.

Bob ended his high school career on Thanksgiving Day scoring three touchdowns and an extra point in the 20-6 win over Albertville.

Roberts, with already enough credits to graduate, was given a scholarship by Auburn Coach Carl Voyles. The Monday following the Albertville game, Bob enrolled at Auburn. Before he could play a snap in college, the military called him for World War II. On January 30, 1945, he and Kitty Cornelius of Guntersville were married, and nine days later he was in the U.S. Army Air Corps.

The Roberts of Browns Valley were farmers. Bob Roberts was one of 11 boys and 17 children born to Mr. and Mrs. Lon Roberts. A graduate of LSU, he started his own construction company in Gadsden. Bob still works; however, his son Robin runs the business. Bob was one of six brothers in various branches of construction.

This dedicated family man and Scoutmaster was nominated for the Marshall County Sports Hall of Fame by two of his Wildcat teammates – Raymond “Punch” Whitaker and Martin Ditto.