About Inductee

Paul Putman was born in Marion County and moved to Huntsville, from Hackleburg, Alabama, in 1951. He lived in West Huntsville and entered school at Butler High School, where he made an instant impact on the football and basketball programs. Paul was 6'5" tall and that was considered a very big man at that time. He used his height well in becoming a big-time receiver in football and a great center in basketball. Paul played for legendary football coach Fulton Hamilton, who is in this Hall of Fame, in 1952, and was named to the Birmingham News Class AAA All-State Football Team. He was also on Wigwam Wisemen of America's 1952 All-American Football Team. He received many scholarship offers in football, although the main three were Auburn, Alabama and Vanderbilt. Paul would later sign a football scholarship with the University of Alabama, and that would make Paul the first Butler High School player to sign with the University. He also excelled in basketball at Butler under Coach Gilbert Ayers. Paul averaged over 20 points a game and had a career high of 37 points. He earned All-County honors with his scoring and rebounding at Butler in 1952, and was also selected All-District in the Eighth District. He was All-District in the Seventh District the year before he transferred to Butler. At graduation, Dr. Crim, principal at Butler, presented Paul with the Acme Club Athletic Award which was the highest athletic honor given in Huntsville. Paul was also selected by the Alabama High School Athletic Association to play in the All-Star Football Game at the University of Alabama in August, and he was also nominated to play in the East-West All-Star Football Game in Memphis. In 1953, Paul was one of the starting ends on the Freshman Team at the University of Alabama and one of 28 to receive a Letter. He dropped out of school at the end of the year to join the Air Force. Paul married his high school sweetheart, Frances Lusk, and in 1958, he returned to the University of Alabama, where he obtained his degree in accounting. Paul and Frances returned to Huntsville in 1961, and he began a successful accounting firm. He and Frances have two children, a daughter, Susan and a son, Ronald. Paul Putman passed away in 2001.