James "Lindy" Hood holds the distinction of being the University of Alabama�s first-ever basketball All-American. But it�s often the strange story of his nickname that sports fans remember.
Born in Leesburg, Ala., James Hood was known throughout his youth by his given name. But then came 1927, when he was a freshman at Alabama. Arriving in New Orleans for a game against Tulane, Hood was sent back to the train station to fetch the coach�s raincoat.
Hood ended up wandering into a crowd that was awaiting an appearance by famed aviator Charles Lindbergh. Suddenly, someone began pointing at Hood and yelling that he was Lindbergh. Engulfed in a mob scene, Hood eventually escaped back to Tulane and tried to keep the story a secret. However, it eventually came to light, and he was known as �Lindy� from that day on.
Originally a football player, Hood was talked into trying out for basketball and became the starting center as early as his sophomore year. As a junior, he led Alabama to the conference championship and the university�s only undefeated season.
It would be nearly five decades before another University of Alabama player was named an All-American after Lindy Hood. He died in 1972 and was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.
