Petition Launched to Rename Bryant-Denny Press Box in Honor of Cecil Hurt
An online petition seeks to rename the press box at Bryant-Denny Stadium in honor of longtime Tuscaloosa News sports columnist Cecil Hurt, who passed away Tuesday afternoon.
The petition seeks to rename the press box in Bryant-Denny Stadium to the "Cecil Hurt Memorial Press Box." It's addressed to University of Alabama Athletic Director Greg Byrne, UA President Stuart Bell, Gov. Kay Ivey and the UA Board of Trustees.
Hurt passed away at age 62 Tuesday, his official Twitter account saying he had suffered from pneumonia complicated by underlying issues.
"Mourning is not a proper send-off for this 40-year fixture of the college sports world. For as good as a man as Cecil was," the petition reads. "He was an equally talented writer, and a passionate reporter. Honoring that consummate professionalism, the work that he was in love with in the one place on earth he loved the most, is only fitting."
The petition was first started by Roll Bama Roll, an online Alabama sports-centric website.
"Reporters from the across the country, and sports fans across the globe, flooded Twitter. This beat reporter in a sleepy college town, became the No. 2 most-discussed person in the United States on the entire platform, outpaced only by the Grammys," the petition continued. "Tens of thousands of stories and condolences and memories of Cecil Hurt flooded our digital and print spaces -- from Sports Illustrated to Forbes to the local bloggers, everyone was mourning Cecil."
As of publishing 887 people have signed the petition in just a matter of hours. To sign the petition, click here.