Former Tennesse coach Bill Battle’s wife, Mary Battle, worked for several years in the healthcare industry.
Bill Battle III, athletic director at his alma mater, Alabama, where he played for Paul “Bear” Bryant’s first national championship team and founded the Collegiate Licensing Company, sadly passed away on November 28, 2024, at 82.
Highlights
- Bill Battle passed away at 82 on November 28, 2024, for an undisclosed reason.
- He was married to his wife, Mary Battle, the chairperson of the Arthritis Foundation Leadership Council.
- Bill and Mary had four children: Pat, Mike, Shannon, and Kayla Battle.
On Thursday, Alabama released a statement saying that Battle had died. However, the reason behind his passing has not been revealed yet. Athletic director Greg Byrne said,
“It’s difficult to put into words just how much Coach Battle means to The University of Alabama and college athletics, as a whole,” “He excelled in so many areas and was a true visionary.”
Geg Byrne
He was also honored by the National Football Foundation. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said,
Bill was an innovative leader who had a distinguished career as a coach, businessman, and athletics director, who loved his family and was committed to the special opportunities presented through intercollegiate athletics,”
Greg Sankey
Moreover, former Alabama coach Nick Saban called Battle “first class” and said he represented the university with “tremendous character and integrity.” Saban praised Battle for revolutionizing the business of college athletics.
“I got to know him best when he returned to direct the Alabama athletics department where his vision and leadership were driving factors in the Crimson Tide’s success that resulted in our 2015 national championship,”
Nick Saban
Born in Birmingham, Battle was a three start for the Crimson Tide between 1960 and 1962 and helped Bryant win his first national title in 1961.
He started his coaching career at Oklahoma and earned a master’s degree in education in 1964 while working under Bud Wilkinson.
In addition, Bill was an assistant at the Army during a two-year military tour in 1964-65.
Later, he moved to Tennessee in 1966 and served as an assistant coach for four years. When Doug Dickey left for the same job in Florida in 1970, the 28-year-old Battle became the youngest coach.
He went 59-22-2 with the Volunteers, winning four of five bowl games. However, Bill will be remembered forever for his revolutionary contributions to football.
Bill Battle And His Wife, Mary Battle, Served On UAB’s Stem Cell Insititute Board
Former Tennessee football coach Bill Battle married Mary Battle. Their marriage date has not yet been revealed, but they have been together for five decades.
According to the source, Bill Battle and Mary Battle were members of UAB’s Stem Cell Institute board and actively supported UAB’s Department of Rheumatology.
On December 31, 2016, Bill and Mary attended the college football playoff semifinal match between Crimson Tide and Washington in the Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
Mary Battle completed her graduation from the University of Texas School of Nursing with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.
She earned a Master of Science in healthcare administration from the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
Mary worked for many years in the healthcare industry, both in the clinical setting and for healthcare corporations.
Mary Battle is now on the National Board of Directors for the Arthritis Foundation and serves as the chairperson of the Arthritis Foundation Leadership Council for the Birmingham market.
She is also a Volunteer Engagement Task Team member for the Arthritis Foundation.
In addition, Mary is an inaugural member of the UAB School of Medicine Board of Visitors and is active in fundraising activities for UAB.
Currently, Mary is mourning the tragic loss of her husband. Many relatives and friends have sent their heartfelt condolences to Mary and the entire family to stay strong during this challenging period.
Bill Battle And Mary Battle Had Two Sons And Two Daughters
Bill Battle and his wife, Mary Battle, were blessed with four children: Pat, Mike, Shannon, and Kayla Battle.
Pat and Mike Battle are leading the Collegiate Licensing company, founded by Bill in 1981.
Moreover, Pat became an influential figure in selling CLC to IMG. He led the growth of IMG College from 2007 to 2011.
Pat’s ultimate goal at IMG College was to consolidate the college marketplace from a marketing and sponsorship standpoint, but he took his cue from his father.
Their daughter Shannon Battle lives in Sandersville, Georgia, and attended Kennesaw State University and studied Marketing at American University.
According to her official Facebook handle, she has also worked at Collegiate Licensing Company.
She shared a close relationship with her father. On July 21, 2024, she took her Facebook and uploaded her photo along with her father, Bill, with the caption,
Best Daddy
Shannon battle
Bill’s daughter Kayla was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2008. According to Bill, when Kayla was diagnosed, she lived a relatively everyday life, which made him.
Because of diet, exercise, and world-class treatment at UAB, Kayla is living again and serving as the development coordinator of the Arthritis Foundation.
Additional Information
- Bill’s father, William Rainer “Bill” Battle Hr., was an athletic director at Birmingham-Southern College from 1952 to 1974. His grandfather, William Raine Battle, was a Methodist minister.
- Battle was also a group member that voted in the Harris Interactive College Football Poll.
- He succeeded long-time director Mal Moore, who stepped down for health reasons at age 73.
