In 1967, from a tiny, one-room office at 513 Madison Avenue in Montgomery, Ala., with two borrowed desks and a typewriter, Ray Scott launched the concept of competitive bass fishing. Yesterday, Scott was joined by Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange and Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries John McMillan to memorialize the founding of B.A.S.S. with the unveiling of a historical marker at that site.
“Ray Scott is a proud example of Alabama entrepreneurship and vision, and showcased sport fishing, wildlife management and the importance of water quality not only to our great state, but to the world,” Gov. Bentley said. Mayor Strange not only agreed with the Governor, but added: “Ray is an icon in sport fishing and conservation. He put the city of Montgomery on the global map.”
Interestingly, the very first B.A.S.S. headquarters is now where the offices of the Alabama Forestry Commission reside. It was this realization between Scott and Commissioner McMillan that set in motion the pursuit of the historical marker.
“Ray and I were in my office chatting about something when he told me that just upstairs is where it all started for B.A.S.S. I said that we needed to memorialize that historic beginning, and we started immediately working on it,” McMillan said.
The four men gathered in front of the building and together unveiled the marker in the presence of media, friends and family.
“Can you believe that it all stared right here, in that tiny little room with nothing but a dream?” Scott asked. “There are a whole lot of people, some of them standing right here, that took B.A.S.S. from a crazy idea in my brain to a global phenomenon.” In attendance were many past figureheads of B.A.S.S., including Helen Sevier (past president and CEO) and Bob Cobb (first editor of Bassmaster Magazine).
“I am thankful and humbled that the city of Montgomery thinks enough of B.A.S.S. to memorialize it with this historical marker. I am so grateful to all the people that have worked so hard over the years to make B.A.S.S. what it is, and so thankful to all the fishermen out there who have supported our efforts,” Scott said. “And, we aren’t done yet.”