Bud Dudley had a life-long involvement with the game of football. He played halfback on the Notre Dame football team in 1940 and 1941. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and was president of his class in 1943.
He then served as a captain in the Air Force and was lead navigator of a B-24 bomber group. He flew fifty-four very dangerous missions over Europe during World War II earning the Distinguished Flying Cross.
When Dudley returned to America after the war, he vowed to found an American institution to commemorate the principles of freedom, patriotism and liberty. He conducted the very first Liberty Bowl in Philadelphia in 1959. The Bowl’s patriotic legacy continues today at the AutoZone Liberty Bowl with the presentation of the iconic Liberty Bell champion’s trophy to the winning team every year.
After five years in Philadelphia, Dudley played the game in the Atlantic City Convention Center in 1964 where the Liberty Bowl was the first bowl game ever played indoors. In 1965, Dudley moved the Liberty Bowl to its current home in Memphis. In its 67-year history, as the 7th oldest bowl game, the Liberty Bowl, now known as the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, has flourished and stands as a shining symbol of American patriotism.
Under Dudley’s leadership, the Liberty Bowl attracted a Who’s Who of college football. Heisman Trophy winners Terry Baker, Ernie Davis, Doug Flutie and Bo Jackson played in Dudley-led Liberty Bowl games, as well as such outstanding stars as Archie Manning, Frank Beamer and Randy White. The list of legendary coaches includes Bear Bryant, Lou Holtz, Tom Osborne, John McKay, Terry Donahue and Bill Battle.
After 35 years and 35 memorable games, Dudley retired as executive director of the Liberty Bowl in 1994. Throughout his career, Dudley’s love of country was showcased during the patriotic festivities of each annual Liberty Bowl game. He received numerous honors and awards including induction into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and recognition by national organizations such as the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, Notre Dame University and the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge.
In 2005, the City of Memphis honored Dudley by naming the press box at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium the Ambrose F. “Bud” Dudley Press Box. That same year, the AutoZone Liberty Bowl recognized Dudley’s life time of achievements with its Distinguished Citizen Award.
In 2008, the AutoZone Liberty Bowl created the Dudley Cup, a perpetual trophy which is on permanent display at Memphis International Airport.
Dudley, one of the pioneers in college football bowl history, passed away in 2008 at the age of 88.
