Sober 27 years since February 1949, he had his last drink in Tuscaloosa, AL when there were only six meetings in the state.
John is the author of the story on page 336 of the 1955 2nd edition of the Big Book entitled "The Professor and the Paradox".
Born in Atlanta, GA, he began as a social drinker for the first 8 years or so but he crossed the line and went down fast living in a state of fear and tension. He did not lose everything before getting sober but he was a daily drinker.
He was an English professor at the University of Alabama for 21 years. He went to school with Bear Bryant and taught Jim Nabors (Gomer Pyle). He moved to Kent State University 16 years before this talk and was still on the faculty.
This is a full recording of the meeting including invocation and announcements.
He wrote a follow up to his Big Book story in a Grapevine Article in 1967 available on the the Grapevine Archives website. (subscription required)
(45 min) (15.6 MB) (id#833)
