1931

1931 was the 60th year after the founding of the City of Birmingham.

Events

• March 9: "Alabama" with words by Julia Tutwiler and music by Edna Gockel Gussen was adopted as the official state song.
• March: Leon Medlock and two other guardsmen were assigned to protect the suspects in the "Scottsboro Boys" prosecution.
• March: Homewood bought 16 acres of land along Shades Creek for a future public park.
• Spring: Miss Fancy, the elephant at Avondale Park Zoo, broke her chains and barreled through trees up Red Mountain until she was caught on Overlook Road.
• May 31: The $1 million Birmingham Airport opened with day-long ceremonies and an air show.
• The Homewood City Council established racial zoning in Rosedale.
• Robert Jemison, Jr donated a pair of swans to Avondale Park.
• The Southern Club closed.

Business

• Houston Brice, Sr founded the Brice Building Company.
• Torme's Associated Foods opened.
• WAPI-AM applied to the FRC for permission to boost its transmission to 50 Kilowatts.
• WBRC-AM increased its power to 5 kilowatts and moved to a "Crystal Studio" on the mezzanine of the Temple Theater.
• Joe Giattina and his Bama Cardinals ended a six-year run on Sunday afternoons on WBRC-AM.

Government

• January 19: Benjamin M. Miller succeeded Bibb Graves as Governor of Alabama.
• January 19: James Hawkins succeeded W. O. Downs as Jefferson County Sheriff.
• Cooper Green was elected to the Alabama State House of Representatives.

Religion

• Louis Pizitz succeeded Harry Berlin as president of Temple Beth-El.

Education

• E. E. Sechriest succeeded E. E. Smith was principal of Ensley High School.
• Brooks Dickens succeeded Mack Burley as president of Miles College.

Sports

• May 10: Art Weist hit a Birmingham Barons record three home runs in a game against Nashville. He also set records for consecutive home runs (3) and home runs in an inning (2).
• John Cortazzo set a Birmingham Barons record for being hit by pitches 15 times during the 1931 season
• August 6: Pitcher Satchel Paige made his debut with the Crawford Colored Giants.
• August 15: Pitcher Ivy Andrews made his debut with the New York Yankees.
• The 1931 Birmingham Barons, managed by Clyde Milan, won the Southern Association pennant.
• September 25: The 1931 Birmingham Barons beat Texas League champion Houston Buffaloes in the "Dixie Series" 4 games to 3.
• The Dunbar High School Blue Devils began their football program under coach Mule Knox.

Individuals

• Bear Bryant accepted a scholarship offer from Alabama Crimson Tide football assistant coach Hank Crisp.

Births

• April 4: John Porter, pastor of 6th Avenue Baptist Church
• May 6: Willie Mays, Hall of Fame outfielder
• May 10: Robert Vance, federal judge
• May 25: Bill Holdefer, surgeon
• May 29: John Baumgartner, baseball player

Deaths

• May 23: W. W. Rose, architect and former mayor of Kansas City, Kansas
• August 4: Jennie Wood and Augusta Williams died after being shot during an outing on Leeds Highway.
• December 29: George Bodeker, former Birmingham Police and founder of Bodeker's National Detective Agency.

Works

Buildings

• Railroad Reservation grade separation
  • 14th Street underpass
  • 18th Street underpass
  • 19th Street underpass
  • 20th Street underpass
• Avondale Villa at Avondale Park
• Jefferson County Courthouse at Woodrow Wilson Park
• Jefferson County Home

Context

1931 was

1931 saw the births of

Literature of 1931

1930s

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