Political Quotes

“Grady Liles, the moving figure behind bringing the NCAA division II national championship game and with it national recognition to the Shoals area of north Alabama, will be honored for his outstanding community leadership on September 5, 1996, at the Florence, AL, Conference Center. He also originated the idea of the Harlon Hill Trophy to honor the top collegiate football player in division II. It is named after a former University of North Alabama player who went on to star with the Chicago Bears, winning the Jim Thorpe Award in the mid-1950's. In 1985, Grady helped organize and establish the Shoals National Championship Committee, which made a successful bid to host the NCAA division II football championship game. The nationally televised game has been played in the Shoals for 10 years. Grady Liles is a native of Florence and was the 1947 golden gloves boxing champion and the 1950 middle-weight champion in the U.S. Marine Corps. In 1957, he helped organize the Florence rescue squad, which was the first volunteer squad in north Alabama. He served as a firefighter for 13 years and was selected Alabama's fireman of the year in 1965. In 1963, he had successfully lobbied for the approval of the State fireman's bill, which regulates and controls the maximum working hours for city firefighters. This bill was the first to help firefighters on a Statewide level. Grady is a man of many awards.”