Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-08
Bryant Denies
ButtsGaVeHin
Data on Game
!: Can't Remember if
: WoIIy Called Him,
:. Coach Testifies

Euul NDCdLJ DIydllI, AldDdLAAt
football caoch, today denied
he ever had received informa.
ton about Georgia's team
from Wally Butts, former ath-
letic director at Georgia.
Bryant was the first prin'
cipal witness in behalf O
Butts, who. has sued Curtis
Publishing Co. for $40 million
because of an article in the
Curtis-owned Saturday Eve
ming Post. The magazine
charged that Butts fed pre-
game data to Bryant last fall
"Coach Bryant, will you
please state for the court ano
fury whether in any converse
ton you had with Coach Butts
at any time that he conveyed
to you any information relat-
ing to any plays or formations
for use in the Forthcoming
game with Alabama?" Attor-
ney william H. Schroeder, jr.r
asked.
Stares at Lawyer
Bryant. staring steadily at
the defense lawyer, replied:
absolutely not. If I had re-
ceived such information, /
wouldn't have taken it because
he's for Georgia and I'm Tor
Alabama.
."If he would give me some
thing on the University OF
Georgia, I would think they
weren't going to use It,"
The tall, broad-shouldered
Alabama coach sat with his big
hands clasped and leaned for
ward in the witness chair. His
appearance, day earlier than
had been announced, provided
a. dramatic moment in the libel
suit trial with began Monday.
Butts sat at a counsel table
and appeared to be listening
attentively.
Asked AhOut Conversation
Bryant was asked If he re-
called a telephone conversation
OF last September 13--the date
on which the Post said
Butts gave the Alabama coach
detailed information about
Georgia's team.
ST don't know whether HI
made the call or not. Accord
ing to records I've seen he did.
%: Have you any recollec'
ton Of what was said?"
"A: Specifically. no sir"
@. ION Sunday, September
16. 1862, the Post said, you anc
Coach Wallace Butts had an
other telephone conversations
"A. I'm familiar with the
article, but I do not remember
whether or not I made the
can. But again. according to
the telephone records, I made
the call"
Bryant identified diagrams
made on a chalk board by
Georgia Coach Johnny Grit
fifth, as commonly used slo'
formations. He was asked i
Georgia employed the forma'
tions in its 1862 spring foot
bail game, secuted by Alabama
.They certainly did"
He was asked about Ala
batna's scouting report on thai
game.
According to our reports
the slot was used by Georgia
loe times in the spring game,
Bryant said.
n Leaves It to Jury
The rebuttal began aftel
Lewis r. Morgan, United State
district Judge, who yesterda!
termed the magazines Marcel
% story 'libelous per Sc" re-
fused a directed verdict II
favor Of Butts.
Judge Morgan said it wa'
upto the jury to decide whether
the Post, in less than three days
of testimony, had proved it:
charges were true. Attorneys
for the publishing company
rested their case in a surprise
step late yesterday.
Schroeder said he would ques.
ton John Gregory, head de-
fensive coach at Georgia, anc
probably Charley Trippi, for
mer Georgia backfield coach
and Bulldog players Micke!
Babb, WallX Williamson anc
Brigham Woodward later in thu
week.
Asked II he would put Fur.
man Bisher, sports editor o.
the Atlanta journal. on the
stand, Schroeder replied:
eThat's the s64 question. w
simply have not decided"
Bisher Helped Graham
There has been testimon!
that Bisher contributed to TIL
information from which Franz
Graham, jr.. free-lance writer
assembled the article for tn,
Post.
Graham said In written ties
timony yesterday that he basel
the story on an affidavit II
which insurance salesm a
George p. Burnett said h
overheard a telephone cal
from Butts TO Bryant las
September 10, nine days beforr
the game.
Schroeder and another Butt
Attorney. Allen Lockermar
read the testimony into tn
record.
In the deposition. Graham
said he met and INTERVENE,
Burnett In Atlanta but that h
wrote the article without see
ing notes Burnett said he too
while listening TO Butts an
Bryant on the telephone.
The notes have been intro
duced in evidence.