For three years as a student athlete at Hanceville High, Don Bristow lettered in four sports — though he doesn’t consider that his biggest sporting achievement.

After his prep career in Cullman County, Bristow received a scholarship to play football at Auburn University for Ralph “Shug” Jordan — though Bristow said that’s not his greatest honor in sports, either.

Following his final year at Auburn, Bristow’s friends and family organized a “Don Bristow Day” back home that, up until now, Bristow called his proudest individual honor.

But this year, Bristow will be inducted into the Cullman County Sports Hall of Fame, an honor the former Auburn defensive lineman said he shares with the whole county.

“I owe Cullman County a lot,” said Bristow in a telephone interview from his home in McCalla. “Cullman will always be home and deserves a lot of the credit for any of the accomplishments that I’ve made.

Bristow has lived in McCalla, a town he described as sitting between Bessemer and Tuscaloosa, since he graduated from Auburn in 1971. He retired there in 1999 after working for over 25 years in the Jefferson County school system. But Bristow said he often thought of returning to the place where it all started.

“Cullman is a great place. In fact, after I got out of school, I had every intention of coming back, but I met this girl who stole my heart,” said Bristow of his wife, the former Alice Springer. “I’ve threatened a few times when I get mad down here to move back up.”

Before living and working in McCalla, Bristow had the chance to play football with Auburn stars Terry Beasley, Mike “Captain Crunch” Kolen and Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan. And in the 1970 Gator Bowl, which Auburn won 35-28, he chased down Ole Miss’ Archie Manning

“It was a lot of fun (playing with them),” Bristow said, adding his best game was as a junior against Georgia Tech in 1969. “They were all quality people. Pat and Terry they were the ones that got the most press, but unlike some, they handled it well and none of the teammates resented the fact that they got the publicity and the notoriety.

“They were just one of the team as far as they were concerned. I think that’s one of the reasons our teams were as successful as they were.”

Bristow said playing for coach Jordan was a little different than some would think.

“He was a real gentleman,” Bristow remembered of Jordan, who won 175 games at Auburn. “But he commanded respect. It was well known among the players that he was the man. And that’s how he was known among the players. When we had to go see him we’d say ‘I have to go see the man.’”

Making it down to Auburn for football games is still a habit for Bristow, though there’s a younger, possibly even more enthusiastic fan in the family now.

“My daughter is a big Auburn fan. She may be a bigger Auburn fan than I am,” Bristow said of his daughter, who will enter Auburn this fall on a full academic scholarship. “The trips that I’ve made in recent years have been more for her.”

On being inducted into the county hall of fame, Bristow said he’s most pleased to bring honor to his family.

“I’m proud for my family because maybe I brought some pride to them.”