Shorty Price
Encyclopedia
Ralph "Shorty" Price, was an attorney
and perennial political candidate from the state of Alabama
, mostly noted for his colorful "clown" persona.
A native of Barbour County
, he studied in the University of Alabama
, where briefly he was a roommate of future Governor George Wallace
.
Price ran for many public offices in Alabama, but only won one election - as an alternate electorate to the 1952 Democratic National Convention
.
Most notably he ran in the Democratic primaries for Governor of Alabama in 1958, 1970, 1974 and 1978. Although he never captured more than 2% of a vote, he once finished before well-known politician Coleman Brown.
Price campaigned heartily against his former roommate, Wallace. His slogan was Shorty, Shorty, he’s our man. George Wallace belongs in the garbage can.
In 1972 he proposed to shorten the Governor's term from four to two years. Many claimed it was so he could run more often.
Although he was never a political power, Price became an important part of southern political and historical folklore in the storied and rich history of colorful candidates in the south.
Price was famous for his antics at Crimson Tide football games, which sometimes landed him in jail. In 1979, after Price pleaded guilty to public drunkenness and disorderly conduct charges following the Alabama-Tennessee game at Legion Field in Birmingham, Circuit Judge William Cole told him "See you next fall" after imposing a $125 fine. Sometimes, when he campaigned, he wore a red-and-white suit covered with the words "Roll Tide."
Price was killed in an automobile accident in 1980 at the age of 59.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and perennial political candidate from the state of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, mostly noted for his colorful "clown" persona.
A native of Barbour County
Barbour County, Alabama
Barbour County, Alabama is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of James Barbour, who served as Governor of Virginia. As of 2010 the population was 27,457. Its county seat is Clayton.-History:...
, he studied in the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
, where briefly he was a roommate of future Governor George Wallace
George Wallace
George Corley Wallace, Jr. was the 45th Governor of Alabama, serving four terms: 1963–1967, 1971–1979 and 1983–1987. "The most influential loser" in 20th-century U.S. politics, according to biographers Dan T. Carter and Stephan Lesher, he ran for U.S...
.
Price ran for many public offices in Alabama, but only won one election - as an alternate electorate to the 1952 Democratic National Convention
1952 Democratic National Convention
The 1952 Democratic National Convention was held at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois from July 21 to July 26, 1952, which was the same arena the Republicans had gathered in a few weeks earlier for their national convention...
.
Most notably he ran in the Democratic primaries for Governor of Alabama in 1958, 1970, 1974 and 1978. Although he never captured more than 2% of a vote, he once finished before well-known politician Coleman Brown.
Price campaigned heartily against his former roommate, Wallace. His slogan was Shorty, Shorty, he’s our man. George Wallace belongs in the garbage can.
In 1972 he proposed to shorten the Governor's term from four to two years. Many claimed it was so he could run more often.
Although he was never a political power, Price became an important part of southern political and historical folklore in the storied and rich history of colorful candidates in the south.
Price was famous for his antics at Crimson Tide football games, which sometimes landed him in jail. In 1979, after Price pleaded guilty to public drunkenness and disorderly conduct charges following the Alabama-Tennessee game at Legion Field in Birmingham, Circuit Judge William Cole told him "See you next fall" after imposing a $125 fine. Sometimes, when he campaigned, he wore a red-and-white suit covered with the words "Roll Tide."
Price was killed in an automobile accident in 1980 at the age of 59.
Sources and external links
- Ourcampaigns (profile and election results)
- Alabama Stuff
- The Birmingham News, Nov. 8 and Dec. 17, 1979 and Nov. 2, 1980
- Trivia Book of the University of Alabama
- Atlanta Magazine article