Former coach, UNA Hall of Famer dies

FLORENCE — James “Buddy” Moore, a 2012 University of North Alabama Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, has died. He was 93.

Moore played on the Lion football team from 1951 to 1954.

The Sheffield native served in the U.S. Army after graduation, later joining the Alabama National Guard.

He was elevated to the position of commandant in Anniston and was later promoted to major general.

He was then appointed by two separate governors as the adjutant general, a role he served for six years.

“I served with him in the Guard, and he was just all around a great person — and a great friend,” Mickey Haddock said. “He was good to a lot of people, all the guys who played for him.”

Moore later became the head football coach at Deshler High School in 1959.

He finished his coaching career at Coffee High School from 1970 to 1981, where he also served as assistant principal and principal.

“I was a senior at Coffee High School his first year,” said former player Chip Rasch. “He was just an incredible coach.”

Rasch said Moore instilled discipline, respect and responsibility in his players.

“He was like a second dad to a lot of us on the football team,” he said.

Moore coached undefeated teams in 1965 at Deshler High School and in 1978 at Coffee High School. He also won two state track and field titles while at Deshler in 1962 and 1964.

After his retirement, he served the Shoals as the highest-ranking volunteer of the Alabama Red Cross.