BEAR DOWN: The True Story of a Man, a Town, and Two Words with Phil Buehler

Free Online Program

Sponsored by the Arizona Historical Society

BEAR DOWN: The True Story of a Man, a Town, and Two Words with Phil Buehler

Saturday, October 31, 2026, 11:00 am – MST

Before “Bear Down” became a fight song, a stadium tradition, and a rallying cry, it was the final message of a twenty-two-year-old young man.  John Byrd “Button” Salmon grew up in the copper-mining town of Bisbee, Arizona, surrounded by hard men, border conflict, political unrest, baseball legends, and a community being transformed by forces far beyond its canyon walls. BEAR DOWN uncovers the remarkable world that shaped Button Salmon—and traces how one young man’s final message became an enduring University of Arizona tradition.

Phil Buehler spent more than 25 years in the broadcast news industry as an award-winning reporter and anchor. He is currently the Press Secretary for the Tennessee Attorney General. His career and background in Arizona planted the seed for his research and his first book on John Button Salmon and the Bear Down legend. Buehler grew up in Tucson and is a University of Arizona graduate.

To register, visit: https://tinyurl.com/BisbeeOnline10312026