MONTGOMERY, ALA. (CN) – A fanatic University of Alabama football fan has sued an author and two divisions of Random House, claiming they used a photo of his green 1972 Dodge RV, known to Crimson Tide fans as “The Toad,” as a book cover without paying him for it. Ron St. John follows the Crimson Tide to every game in The Toad.
He sued author Warren St. John, Three Rivers Press and Crown Publishing Group in Federal Court, claiming Random House published “Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer: A Road Trip into the Heart of Fan Mania,” with a photo of The Toad on the cover. They promised to pay him for it, but stiffed him, he says.
He also sues for outrageous conduct, claiming defendant St. John bought his own RV to follow the Tide, dubbed it The Hawg, and now fans approach plaintiff St. John and dare to ask him whether The Toad is The Hawg. “The emotional distress that Defendant(s) caused Plaintiff to suffer was so severe that no reasonable person could be expected to endure it.” He seeks punitive damages. He is represented by Richard “Cracker” Waldrop of Enterprise, Ala.
From Courthouse News Service.