Robert Lynn Bomar (January 21, 1901 – June 11, 1964) was an American National Football League (NFL) end. Bomar played college football, basketball and baseball for Vanderbilt University, following coach Wallace Wade and classmate Hek Wakefield there from prep school, and was a unanimous 1922 All-Southern selection and a consensus 1923 All-American selection in football. The latter season included a first-team All-American selection by Walter Camp, rare for a player in the South. A paralyzing injury ended Bomar's college career, but he quickly recovered and sat on the bench for all of his team's games. He played for the New York Giants in 1925 and 1926, retiring abruptly after a separate injury. Bomar was nicknamed "the Blonde Bear".
He had a later career in law enforcement. In his position as Tennessee's Commissioner of Public Safety and Patrol chief, Bomar supervised the ransacking of black households during the 1946 Columbia race riot. He was the warden of Tennessee State Prison from 1955 until his death, and oversaw several executions. In 1956, Bomar was the first Vanderbilt football player elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
Early life and education
Bomar was born on January 21, 1901, in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, to Oliver Eugene Bomar, a blacksmith, and Elizabeth May McAdams. Vanderbilt records indicate that he spent part of his youth in Gallatin. Bomar attended Webb School in his native Bell Buckle, and spent a year at Castle Heights Military Academy.
Fitzgerald and Clarke Bomar then attended preparatory school at the Fitzgerald and Clarke Military Academy in Tullahoma, Tennessee. In 1920, he was a member of teams which won the state prep-school football and basketball championships. In both sports Bomar played under head coach Wallace Wade. While Wade coached at Fitzgerald and Clarke, the school's overall football record was 15–2. With him on the football team was future college teammate and All-American Hek Wakefield.
Vanderbilt University
Football Bomar played for head coach Dan McGugin's Vanderbilt Commodores football team at Vanderbilt University from 1921 to 1924. Wallace Wade was hired as Vanderbilt football's assistant and line coach for 1921 and head coach of the basketball and baseball teams for 1922. Bomar and Wakefield enrolled at the school in the same class.
He was prominent on Commodore teams which compiled a win–loss–tie record of 26–5–4 () and three straight conference titles during his four seasons. Bomar was an All-Southern and All-American selection in 1922 and 1923. In addition to playing end and tackle (offense and defense), he made the kickoffs. Bomar's play was described:
The Blonde Bear was one of the world's greatest football players, who never missed an open field block. When one considers he made Walter Camp's All-America team when he was backing up the line on defense and blocking and catching passes on offense, his greatness is realized.
[Bomar] plucked passes out of the ozone that seemed impossible to get, and then raced through the enemy like they were tied." Often he started games at fullback, shifted to halfback or end, and finished at tackle. In backing up the line, [he] hurled back all comers with the same savage vigor.
His favorite refrain to opponents was, "I hope you don't like it."
1921
During Bomar's freshman season at Vanderbilt, he was already a standout player as a starting fullback. In a game against the Longhorns at the Texas State Fair in Dallas, the Commodores won 20–0 after they were expected to lose by two touchdowns. Texas had been undefeated in 1920, winning the Southwest Conference. The 1921 squad was considered possibly the best in Longhorns history, and Vanderbilt football seemed to be in decline when Georgia Tech defeated the Commodores 44–0 the previous year. Dan McGugin gave a speech invoking late former Vanderbilt quarterback Irby Curry before the game. According to Edwin Pope's Football's Greatest Coaches, "The Texas game, sparked by McGugin's unforgettable oratory, was the big one; and Vandy got out of the year without a loss." Bomar scored on a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, increasing the Commodore lead to two touchdowns. In the sixth game of the season, Vanderbilt defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide 14–0 at Birmingham. The victory was expected by insiders (then often called the "dope"), with Vanderbilt favored by two touchdowns. Early in the first quarter several runs by Jess Neely, a long pass from Neely to Tot McCullough and a 17-yard run by Neely brought the ball to the nine-yard line. After a run by Frank Godchaux, Bomar bucked over the line for a touchdown. The game against the Georgia Bulldogs decided the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) championship that season, with Bomar excelling at linebacker. "Georgia would have trampled Vanderbilt to atoms but for Lynn Bomar," wrote Nashville Tennessean sportswriter Blinkey Horn. "Lynn Bomar was the stellar performer of the game. In the first-half he made two-thirds of the tackles", and reportedly prevented five Georgia touchdowns that day. The Commodores tied the Bulldogs 7–7 on a fourth-quarter onside kick for a share of the SIAA title, finishing the season with a 7–0–1 record.
1922
Vanderbilt had its second straight undefeated season in 1922, with Bomar playing his preferred position at end. "Vanderbilt Downs Texas Longhorns, Long Grid Rivals." Dallas Morning News, October 22, 1922 He was a starter in the scoreless tie with Michigan at the dedication of Dudley Field, spending much of the game tackling Michigan runners. "Vanderbilt Opens Its News Stadium with Tie." Charlotte Sunday Observer October 15, 1922: 2. According to the school yearbook, Bomar "tore through the Wolverine line constantly, and always emerged after a play on the far side of the defense" and the game included a goal line stand. Another account read, "Thousands of cheering Vanderbilt fans inspired the surge of center Alf Sharp, guard Gus Morrow, tackle Tex Bradford, and end Lynn Bomar, who stopped Michigan cold in four attempts." The next week against Texas at the Dallas State Fair, Vanderbilt won 20–10. Bomar made an interception and caught a 23-yard pass from Jess Neely, running 20 yards"Commodores Win By Superior Play When Near Longhorns' Goal." Wichita Daily Times [Wichita Falls, Texas] October 22, 1922: 9. to set up a Gil Reese touchdown. Against the Tennessee Volunteers, he scored the second of two touchdowns on a short pass from Neely in a 14–6 victory. "Vanderbilt Wins From Volunteers." The State [Columbia, SC] November 5, 1922: 11.
Bomar's best offensive performance that year was against Georgia. Neely made a long pass from a few yards behind the line of scrimmage at the 45-yard line; Bomar caught it near the seven-yard line, and was tackled by Georgia halfback Loren Chester (Teany) Randall at around the three-yard line before Reese scored the touchdown. Neely and Bomar were among the best pass-receiver combinations in Vanderbilt history: "Bomar, unquestionably, was Vanderbilt's best receiver, snatching everything thrown at him."
A similar play in the game's second half scored another touchdown. Quarterback Doc Kuhn dropped back for a more than 40-yard touchdown pass to Bomar. The pass went 28 yards in the air, with Bomar running the rest of the way. Georgia running back Dave Collings tackled him as he crossed the goal line (injuring himself), and Bomar also made an interception in the 12–0 Vanderbilt victory. The season's final game, against Vanderbilt's oldest rival Sewanee, had a trick play by the Commodores. A fake run ended with Kuhn tossing the ball to Bomar, who was left open behind the defense and easily ran it in; Vanderbilt won, 26–0. "Vandy Trounces Sewanee 26 to 0." The Macon Daily Telegraph December 1, 1922
After the season, Bomar received first-team All-American honors from Frank G. Menke. He was also chosen a second-team All-American by Walter Camp, a third-team All-American by Walter Eckersall and appeared on Billy Evans' National Honor Roll. Bomar and Red Barron of Georgia Tech were the two unanimous All-Southern selections. Grantland Rice wrote the next year, "There was no better end in the country last fall" and Camp described Bomar:
Bomar, of Vanderbilt, is only shaded a little by two other ends, largely through the experienced gained by his rivals against stronger opposition. He weighs 200 pounds, is tremendously fast, and a hardy, defensive player. On attack he is able to pick the forward pass out of the air on the full run, and, running with a high-knee action quite like that of the redoubtable Ted Coy, if he cannot get by his man, runs him down and goes on over him, still on his feet.
1923
In 1923, assistant coach Wallace Wade was hired as head coach at Alabama and was replaced by former star tackle Josh Cody. A rematch against the Michigan Wolverines at Ferry Field was a 3–0 Vanderbilt loss, with consensus All-American center Jack Blott scoring Michigan's field goal. According to the Michigan Alumnus, Harry Kipke could not return punts for fear of fumbling; when he received the ball, Vanderbilt ends Hek Wakefield or Bomar would tackle him. In a diagram of the game's plays, Vanderbilt's only completed pass was from Kuhn to Bomar.see Bomar excelled against Tulane, blocking a number of punts in a 17–0 victory. Times-Picayune sportswriter Ed Hebert wrote, "Take Bomar out of the Vandy lineup and Tulane would have won the game by three touchdowns." A postseason charity game was played against former and contemporary Princeton Tigers all-stars. The game was a 7–7 tie, with Vanderbilt's touchdown scored on an 18-yard pass from Kuhn to Bomar.
Vanderbilt and Washington and Lee finished the season as Southern Conference co-champions. A sportswriters' poll chose the Commodores as best team in the South, awarding them the Pickens Trophy (awarded from 1923 to 1926). Bomar was a consensus All-American, receiving first-team honors from Collier's Weekly (Walter Camp) and second-team honors from Athletic World magazine. He was one of the first players from the South to receive first-team honors from Camp, who described the player:
1924
During Bomar's senior season (when he moved to halfback), the Commodores tied the Quantico Marines 13–13. Bomar, picking up a fumble, ran 84 yards for a touchdown. According to a newspaper account, "It was Lynn Bomar's gigantic figure that broke up what looked like a Marine cakewalk. After receiving the kickoff, the Marines drove steadily to Vanderbilt's 10-yard line as Goettge repeatedly completed short passes. At the 10, Groves dropped back. The pass from center was low. He missed it. He reached for the ball. It trickled off his fingers. The Commodores were boring in. Wakefield was in there. Then Bomar came charging through. He picked up the ball and with a twist was out of Groves' grasp. He came out of the bunch with a long, charging run. Then he seemed a little undecided. One fleeting glance behind him and he struck out. Up came his free arm to brush off his headgear. His thin, yellow hair stood out. On he swept like a thundercloud of vengeance across the goal. Bedlam broke loose." Captain and guard Tuck Kelly was injured during the game, making Bomar the interim captain two weeks later against the Georgia Bulldogs.