Jim Bartlett

Jim Bartlett was first introduced to organized football when his parents, Mr. and Mrs. D.C. Bartlett, moved the family from Douglas to Albertville. Not long after this, Jim went out for football and was quickly installed as second team tackle behind All-Time Aggie great and Marshall County Sports Hall of Fame member, Neal Reed. When Reed graduated, Jim was shifted to the top tackle slot for the Aggies and remained there for the next three years. Jim has often stated that the experience he got playing opposite Neal Reed in practice helped him to become a better player in the years to come.

During his first two years of playing high school football, Jim was coached by two Hall of Fame Coaches, Vernon Wells and Boyce Stone. In his last two years, he was tutored by another Hall of Fame Coach, Ralph Reed. His other coach was Frank Alford.

Bartlett was the starting tackle on defense and offense as a junior on the 1954 Aggie team that finished with nine wins and one loss. This Aggie record of nine regular-season wins has stood for over 50 years. Jim graduated in 1956 and was elected co-captain of the Aggies for the 1955 team. He was also named All-Marshall County and honorable mention All-State. A three-year letterman in football, he also lettered in track and field, finishing first in the shot put in the sectional meet.

A rugged 215-pound lineman, Bartlett was the first Albertville grid star in three years to sign a grant-in-aid football scholarship. Jim was a much sought-after player by several schools. He decided to play for Coach A. C. “Scrappy” Moore of the University of Chattanooga Moccasins. Bartlett soon became a standout tackle for the Mocs and was a two-year letterman, starting on both offense and defense.

Jim was on the field for all except two minutes of the Auburn vs. Chattanooga game in 1957. As a two-way player in this game against the National Championship Tigers, he had to have stitches in his nose between halves, but the rugged sophomore stayed in the action. Even though losing to the Tigers in 1957, lightning struck the next season as Bartlett’s 1958 Mocs upset the University of Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville by the score of 14-6. The highly regarded lineman picked up the nickname “Iron Jaw” and was described by the Chattanooga sports writer Wirt Gammon as big, strong, and fast.

Unfortunately, Jim’s football career ended during his junior year because of medical reasons. However, he remained on scholarship until he graduated. With a degree in economics from the University of Chattanooga, Bartlett went on to graduate from Vanderbilt University’s School of Banking. After a career in banking for many years, Jim became owner and manager of a farm supply store, which led to his final working career as a salesman of animal health and farm supplies.

Jim and his wife, Celia, reside in Cleveland, Tennessee, where they are active in their church as well as many civic activities. The Bartletts have three children, Rob, Lane, and Kristy, and three grandchildren, Parker, Ashley, and Alyesse. Jim’s hobby has been training horses. He has been involved with Tennessee Walking Horses for many years.