Remembering Shorty Price: Alabama's Most Colorful Candidate

It's Governor's race season here in Alabama, and that always brings back memories of the one and only Shorty Price!

The "Run for the Fun of It" Days

Back in the day, Alabama elections were spiced up by a bunch of candidates who knew they couldn't win, but ran anyway just to make things interesting. And Shorty Price? He was the king of that crew!

Shorty vs. Wallace: A Barbour County Rivalry

William Ralph "Shorty" Price hailed from Barbour County, just like the legendary George Wallace. They even shared a town, Clio, and briefly roomed together at the University of Alabama! But Shorty harbored a serious dislike for Wallace, maybe because Wallace was a political success while Shorty... wasn't. He ran against Wallace every chance he got, and didn't hold back with his criticisms.

A Perennial Candidate with a Passion for Budweiser

Shorty ran for Governor every four years, and for pretty much every other office you could think of! He was a short guy, hence the nickname, and often reused old campaign signs to save a buck. He rarely got more than 2% of the vote, but he kept at it.

"Smoke Tampa Nugget Cigars, drink Budweiser beer, and vote for Shorty Price for Governor."

Shorty spent his non-election years traveling the state, asking for "contributions" that magically transformed into cans of Budweiser. He was always cheerfully tipsy and proud of it. One of his campaign promises was to shorten the Governor's term to two years, figuring that "If you can’t steal enough to last you the rest of your life in two years, you ain’t got enough sense to have the office in the first place."

A Crimson Tide Superfan

Shorty loved Alabama football more than anything. You could always spot him at Crimson Tide games, decked out in his Alabama tie and flag, and, of course, thoroughly enjoying himself. He'd mingle with the cheerleaders, enthusiastically "helping" with the cheers. He idolized Bear Bryant and shared Bryant's intense dislike for Tennessee.

Shorty's Legacy

Sadly, Shorty passed away in a car accident about 35 years ago, probably with a Budweiser in hand. This week’s Alabama vs. Tennessee game made me think of ole Shorty. If he were still here, you can bet he'd be at Bryant-Denny Stadium in top form! We miss you, Shorty!