Community mourns loss of AU legend ‘Red’ Phillips

Jimmy “Red” Smith taken in 2011. (Kenneth Boone / The Outlook)

Jim “Red” Phillips, the Alexander City native who co-captained Auburn University’s 1957 national championship football team and earned All-Pro honors three times as a wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams, died Wednesday at Bethany House in Auburn. He was 79.

Phillips was a member of the first freshman class to attend Benjamin Russell High School, playing football, baseball, basketball and running track for the Wildcats. His football coach was the legendary BRHS coach Hamp Lyon.