Hal Hayes

“This job has enabled me to meet some of the greatest people in the world.”

This statement was made by Hal Hayes in 1975. He also said at the time, “My greatest thrill through it all was being the only writer in Atlanta that Willie Mays would talk to. Whenever the Giants came to town, I always went out to eat with Willie and always had a good story from him.”

Robert Huey Hayes was called “Bobby” and later “Hal”. Albertville Coach Vernon Wells told Hayes, “Bobby is not a name for a sportswriter. You need a name like ‘Hal’.” The name “Hal” remained with him the rest of his life.

Hayes wrote about the Albertville Aggies and Marshall County sports. During this era (1952-1957), he was writing for the school newspaper, yearbook, the Albertville Herald and several other papers. His column in the local paper was entitled “Under the Hayes Stack”.

Around this same time, he conducted a poll to choose an All-Time Great Aggie football team. This great team is still talked about today and several of its members have been inducted into the Marshall County Sports Hall of Fame. Jimmy Alford from this team joins with Hal in the Hall of Fame class of 2006.

While at Jacksonville State, Hayes was the collegian sports editor, sports information director and writer for the Anniston Star. Mr. Jax State and Mr. Friendly also served as class president of his sophomore, junior and senior classes. Don Salls was the head coach at Jax State, and Hayes gave him credit for putting the Gamecocks on the football map.

When he left Jacksonville, the sports writing jobs for Hayes included stops at the Montgomery Advertiser, Augusta Chronicle, Atlanta Constitution and Birmingham News. He spent a total of 23 years in public relations with the Atlanta Falcons, Birmingham Stallions and BellSouth.

Ben Cook, in an article, once quoted Hal as saying, “I can’t help it. If I see somebody famous, I have to walk right up and introduce myself to them. You don’t get many chances like that in life.”

Hayes was covering the Masters in 1964 when he recognized Frank Sinatra. “Mr. Sinatra,” he said, “I’m Hal Hayes with the Chronicle, and I know you hear this all the time, but I’m a great fan of yours.” Hal was invited to sit down at the table with Sinatra and a few friends --- Perry Como, Dean Martin and Tony Bennett.

The people that he met, visited and wrote about included Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon, Robert Kennedy, Sid Caesar, Bob Hope, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Rocky Marciano, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, William Conrad, Larry Fine of the Three Stooges, Bill Cosby, Phyllis Diller, and the entire casts of the Mary Tyler Moore Show and Gunsmoke.

Every year on his birthday, Hal would call Jack Dempsey. Also, every year on either Thanksgiving or Christmas he would call Bart Starr.

Hayes once said, “If I had to pick the five greatest people I’ve ever met, Tommy Nobis would be one of them.” Nobis, of course, was the legendary Atlanta Falcons linebacker.

Hayes wrote and published the history of Jax State football, “From the Goal to the Final Glory”. His work includes a couple of sports novels and writings for numerous publications. Many awards and recognition came his way for his writings and work in the world of sports.

On September 8, 2003, Hal Hayes died after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 64.