ARLINGTON, Texas – James T. "Brad" Bradley, regarded as America's favorite sports photographer, passed away on Friday, Oct. 13, at his Dallas home. He was 101.
 
His calling card was a boyish smile accompanied by a friendly greeting of "Hello, old friend." And it always produced positive results. It's been said time and again that having your picture taken by Mr. Bradley was a badge of honor.
 
Every year during the last week of December, he could be spotted on the sideline, in the press box or working social events at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic capturing the atmosphere of bowl week.
 
Bradley worked 75 Cotton Bowl Classic's dating back to 1948. It would have been 76 had it not been for access restrictions imposed upon the 2020 Classic due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But that was his only absence. It's safe to say this lofty number of work assignments may never be surpassed.

"Mr. Bradley is a Cotton Bowl Classic treasure," said CBAA President/Chief Executive Officer Rick Baker. "His impact on our game and generations of sports fans is truly immeasurable. Brad has been a fixture at our game since Doak Walker played in the Classic in 1948. He lived such an incredible life and we will miss him dearly. We will always remember and celebrate him as a Cotton Bowl Classic Hall of Famer."
 
He was one of those guys who was always around. If a sports-related event was going on in or around Dallas or Arlington, more than likely he would be there ready to go to work.
 
Age never slowed him down. With camera in hand, he was always ready and eager to jump into action. One of his last work assignments took place on May 11, 2023, during the Cotton Bowl Classic Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony at AT&T Stadium, obtaining images of the honorees as they walked down the red carpet.
 
Himself a member of the Classic's Hall of Fame – honored in the spring of 2007 – this legendary photographer and storyteller launched his career shortly after returning home to North Texas from World War II in 1946.
 
In tandem with his father-in-law, James Laughead, this dynamic duo revolutionized the field of sports photography as they crisscrossed America shooting publicity photos for 35 college and 12 NFL teams.
 
It's anyone's guess as to how many household names appeared in Mr. Bradley's viewfinder. His first was Doak Walker, SMU's great Heisman Trophy winner in the late 1940s. From there, the number of sports luminaries grew and grew over time to include Jim Brown, Roger Staubach, Earl Campbell, Dick Butkus, Joe Montana, Eric Dickerson and Michael Jordan. His list of head coaches may be even more vast with the likes of Darrell Royal, Bear Bryant, Ara Parseghian, Tom Landry, Vince Lombardi and George Halas.
 
In the summer of 2018, the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta created a special tribute to the Bradley/Laughead archives with a room full of photographs and assorted memorabilia. More recently, on August 28, he was honored with the 2023 Governor's Award for Lifetime Achievement, presented by the Lone Star Regional Emmy Chapter.
 
As much as he enjoyed traveling the country in hot pursuit of the next photo shoot, home for Bradley was Dallas where he could be close to his greatest passions in life – his family, the SMU Mustangs, the Doak Walker Award, and the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
 
Mr. Bradley will be missed by everyone. But fortunately, those fantastic photographs he created are readily available to remind us of this wonderful southern gentleman.