Look Back ... to Tuberville's formal introduction, 1998

Nov. 29—Nov. 29, 1948, in The Star: The torrential rain which has soaked the Southeast directed its attention to the Anniston region yesterday, inflicting heavy damage to a number of residential and farming areas and blocking virtually every road into the city for a time. Around four inches of rain was recorded here in the 24 hours from Friday to Saturday afternoon, which brought the month's total to 15.18 inches, or five times the normal rainfall for November, according to the local weather bureau. Highway 241 between Anniston and Talladega was under water in places but passable at noon today, Highway Patrol officials report. The highways to both Birmingham and Atlanta were blocked by water for several hours yesterday. Ohatchee School remained closed today because of flooded roads. Also this date: The cornerstone for the handsome new educational building of the Pine Avenue Baptist Church, 14th Street and Pine Avenue in Anniston (on the site of the old First Baptist Church), was laid during an impressive ceremony conducted Sunday afternoon. The congregation established itself in August of 1947.

Nov. 29, 1998, in The Star: Citizens of War Eagle nation were introduced to their new football coach, Tommy Tuberville, during a press conference in Auburn yesterday. Said Auburn University President William Muse, "I believe that Tommy Tuberville is the right man for Auburn. He will bring the coaching skill, the work ethic, the enthusiasm and the character that will make him and will make Auburn successful." Tuberville skeptics point to the fact that when he was the coach for four years at Ole Miss, his teams never beat Auburn or Alabama. But Anniston businessman Pete Morgan, an Auburn graduate and longtime season ticket holder, said he believes Tuberville did a good job at Ole Miss and predicts a winning program under him on the Plains. The coach agreed to a five-year employment deal with $4.5 million. He and his wife, Suzanne, have two boys — Thomas, 4, and Troy, 2.