TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Arizona fans embrace the "Bear Down" battle cry. For nearly a century, Wildcat fans have been echoing the final words of John "Button" Salmon.
As we approach the 100th anniversary of his death, there is a new book that focuses on his life. It is called, what else, "Bear Down."
"Tell them... tell the team to bear down," said author Phil Buehler.
Like most Arizona Wildcats alumni, Buehler is well-versed in the Bear Down story. Not only did he graduate from the U of A, but he's also a former KGUN 9 sports reporter covering the Wildcats for many years.
Buehler has spent the last 10 years compiling his new book entitled Bear Down - The True Story of a Man, a Town, and Two Words.
"You know it's a hundred years for Bear Down," Buehler said. "That motto is as strong as ever."
For the first time, a book has been written about that Bear Down history of John "Button" Salmon. But Buehler doesn't start at the end of Salmon's life with his deathbed words to his coach "Pop" McKale. He starts at the beginning, chronicling Salmon's life growing up in Bisbee.
"To see what kind of character he had, what kind of life he led, his parents, his upbringing, and a lot of the events, really significant historic events, took place in and around his growing up in Bisbee," explained Buehler.
Buehler said he learned that Salmon quickly earned a positive reputation once he arrived at the U of A, as a leader and an athlete.
"His character and his toughness is what people admired most about him," Buehler said.
Buehler also focused on Salmon's head baseball and football coach, "Pop" McKale.
Eleven years before "Button" Salmon's tragic death, in 1915, "Pop" McKale had to deal with the unexpected death of standout basketball and tennis player Leo Cloud.
"He had to go through his own tough times as a leader and a manager dealing with young people and dealing with that in the heat of the moment," said Buehler. "He went through that his first season as the athletic director and coach. That just, it's just another element that just kind of adds to the book and the whole Bear Down flavor."
McKale then coached "Button" Salmon as he became a star in baseball, a standout in football and, by his senior year in 1926, student body president.
But things changed dramatically on the night of October 3. Salmon was driving from Phoenix back to Tucson when he was involved in a car crash near Florence.
Taken to Tucson, Salmon spent the next two weeks in the hospital. According to Buehler's research, "Pop" McKale visited Salmon every single night.
"He had had some spells of rallying and then sinking and then rallying a few times during that two-week period," recalled Buehler. "Maybe things were getting near the end, and they were worried; he finally gave that inspiring message. That kind of sums up everything, everything about his life. That sums it up"
"Tell them... tell the team to bear down," said Salmon on his deathbed. He died at 6:10 the next morning, October 18, 1926.
"The town, the school, everything stopped that day," said Buehler. "Classes were canceled in the afternoon and for the funeral. That's just what happened. It was such a tight-knit community. To me, that wasn't a surprise."
Buehler's research shows that two days after Salmon's funeral, "Pop" McKale gathered the team to deliver the Bear Down message. Arizona beat New Mexico that day 7-nothing.
In January, teammate Martin Gentry helped Bear Down become the official athletic slogan. Soon after, the new gym had Bear Down painted in giant letters on the roof.
Today, Bear Down is synonymous with Arizona Athletics.
"It's a marketing gem for the university," Buehler said. "It's part of the fabric of the university now, and why shouldn't it be?"
Buehler credits longtime Arizona Daily Star sports columnist Greg Hansen for helping with his research for this book.
Bear Down is available now, ahead of next month's 100th anniversary of John "Button" Salmon's death.
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Pat Parris is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. He is a graduate of Sabino High School where he was the 1982 high school state track champion in the 800 meters. While in high school and college, he worked part-time in the KGUN 9 newsroom. Share your story ideas and important issues with Pat by emailing pat.parris@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
