page_title: Lynn Bomar
section_title: 1922
hierarchical_section_title: Lynn Bomar / Vanderbilt University / Football / 1922
caption_attribution_description: English: Lynn Bomar's opening kickoff against Michigan in 1922, the first kickoff at Dudley Field
context_page_description: Robert Lynn Bomar was an American football end in the National Football League. Bomar played college football, basketball and baseball for Vanderbilt University, following coach Wallace Wade and classmate Hek Wakefield there from prep school, and was a unanimous 1922 All-Southern selection and a consensus 1923 All-American selection in football. The latter season included a first-team All-American selection by Walter Camp, rare for a player in the South. A paralyzing injury ended Bomar's college career, but he quickly recovered and sat on the bench for all of his team's games. He played for the New York Giants in 1925 and 1926, retiring abruptly after a separate injury. Bomar was nicknamed "the Blonde Bear".
  He had a later career in law enforcement. In his position as Tennessee's Commissioner of Public Safety and Patrol chief, Bomar supervised the ransacking of black households during the 1946 Columbia race riot. He was the warden of Tennessee State Prison from 1955 until his death, and oversaw several executions. In 1956, Bomar was the first Vanderbilt football player elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
context_section_description: Vanderbilt had its second straight undefeated season in 1922, with Bomar playing his preferred position at end. He was a starter in the scoreless tie with Michigan at the dedication of Dudley Field, spending much of the game tackling Michigan runners. According to the school yearbook, Bomar "tore through the Wolverine line constantly, and always emerged after a play on the far side of the defense" and the game included a goal line stand. Another account read, "Thousands of cheering Vanderbilt fans inspired the surge of center Alf Sharp, guard Gus Morrow, tackle Tex Bradford, and end Lynn Bomar, who stopped Michigan cold in four attempts." The next week against Texas at the Dallas State Fair, Vanderbilt won 20–10. Bomar made an interception and caught a 23-yard pass from Jess Neely, running 20 yards to set up a Gil Reese touchdown. Against the Tennessee Volunteers, he scored the second of two touchdowns on a short pass from Neely in a 14–6 victory.
  Bomar's best offensive performance that year was against Georgia. Neely made a long pass from a few yards behind the line of scrimmage at the 45-yard line; Bomar caught it near the seven-yard line, and was tackled by Georgia halfback Loren Chester (Teany) Randall at around the three-yard line before Reese scored the touchdown. Neely and Bomar were among the best pass-receiver combinations in Vanderbilt history: "Bomar, unquestionably, was Vanderbilt's best receiver, snatching everything thrown at him."
  A similar play in the game's second half scored another touchdown. Quarterback Doc Kuhn dropped back for a more than 40-yard touchdown pass to Bomar. The pass went 28 yards in the air, with Bomar running the rest of the way. Georgia running back Dave Collings tackled him as he crossed the goal line (injuring himself), and Bomar also made an interception in the 12–0 Vanderbilt victory. The season's final game, against Vanderbilt's oldest rival Sewanee, had a trick play by the Commodores. A fake run ended with Kuhn tossing the ball to Bomar, who was left open behind the defense and easily ran it in; Vanderbilt won, 26–0.
  After the season, Bomar received first-team All-American honors from Frank G. Menke. He was also chosen a second-team All-American by Walter Camp, a third-team All-American by Walter Eckersall and appeared on Billy Evans' National Honor Roll. Bomar and Red Barron of Georgia Tech were the two unanimous All-Southern selections. Grantland Rice wrote the next year, "There was no better end in the country last fall" and Camp described Bomar:
  Bomar, of Vanderbilt, is only shaded a little by two other ends, largely through the experienced gained by his rivals against stronger opposition. He weighs 200 pounds, is tremendously fast, and a hardy, defensive player. On attack he is able to pick the forward pass out of the air on the full run, and, running with a high-knee action quite like that of the redoubtable Ted Coy, if he cannot get by his man, runs him down and goes on over him, still on his feet.
caption: Bomar kicking off the dedication of Dudley Field against Michigan
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