Athletic Department Records
Collection
Identifier: Series-0040
This series contains the files of the Athletic Department of Clemson University. The series contains correspondence, memoranda, general files, sports contracts, strength training records of varsity sports (a five percent sampling), blueprints and photographs.
The bulk of the files is correspondence of the Athletic Director Bill McLellan, 1971-1985, Associate Athletic Director and Golf Coach Robert "Bobby" Robinson, 1973-1985; IPTAY Executive Secretary Joe Turner, 1980-1983; and Head Football Coach Danny Ford, 1981-1989.
Other correspondents include George Bennett and Robert Ricketts, Assistant Athletic Directors for Business; Associate Athletic Director for Public Relations Len Gough, and Head Soccer Coach I.M. Ibrahim.
Major topics in the files of the Director are letters from IPTAY members and sports fans regarding coaching staff, parking locations, seat locations, ticket priorities, distribution of ACC basketball tournament tickets, USC tickets, and bowl tickets. Much of the correspondence deals with the operations of the department. Interoffice memoranda pertain to policies and procedures for department personnel.
The correspondence of Bobby Robinson includes information about stadium operations, games, visiting teams, academic advising, scheduling, contracts, officials, traveling plans, NCAA rule interpretations and facilities. His correspondence related to his tenure as golf coach is also included.
The correspondence of Joe Turner includes letters from IPTAY members regarding parking locations, seat assignments, ticket priorities, bowl game information, IPTAY Representatives and Clemson Club meetings.
The correspondence of Danny Ford include letters from fans and IPTAY members; information on ACC and NCAA policy, interpretations, rulings, and officiating.
The correspondence files of George Bennett and Robert Ricketts reflect the business/financial operations of the department, such as revenues, expenses, transfer of funds, adjustments to revenue, and refunds.
The correspondence of Len Gough (and all remaining correspondents) concern such topics as media relations, the licensing program, the courtesy vehicle program, executive suites, corporate sponsors, television and radio operations, and special promotions.
Intercollegiate athletics were first played at Clemson Agricultural College in 1896 when Professor Walter Merritt Riggs coached the first Tiger athletic team in football. In the years that followed, other sports were introduced: baseball, 1900; track, 1905; basketball, 1911; tennis, 1919; golf and cross country, 1921; swimming, 1924; soccer, 1967; men's fencing, 1970-1971, wrestling, 1975-1976. In 1955 Clemson became coeducational and sports for women were added. Other sports for women achieved varsity status years later: swimming, 1974-75; basketball, fencing and tennis, 1975-1976; volleyball, field hockey, and cross country, 1977-1978.
Throughout its history, the athletic program at Clemson University was aided substantially by the organization IPTAY. This organization, whose acronym means "I Pay Ten A Year," was established on August 20, 1934, by a group of men led by Dr. Rupert Fike, a physician and 1908 Clemson graduate. This group collected $10 dues from the first 162 members. For the next twenty years, Fike and his successors, Jess Neely, Frank Howard, and E.P. Willimon, guided the organization. Annual dues for IPTAY members increased to $20 in 1969 and to $30 in 1976. Other increases followed. IPTAY contributions topped one million dollars in 1977 and in 1994 totaled over six million dollars. At that time membership was 18,500. In terms of money raised for scholarships, it was not until 1972 that IPTAY raised enough money to cover the total scholarship and operating expenses that had previously been paid by the athletic department
Since 1978, IPTAY has assisted with the funding of numerous improvements: the football stadium, the baseball stadium, the indoor tennis facility, the soccer stadium, the outdoor track, the weight room, the golf practice area, a cross country course, the Banks McFadden building, and Vickery Hall Academic Learning Center. IPTAY also provided funds for scholarships and to the Tiger Band for travel, uniforms, and equipment.
28.15 Cubic Feet (and 15 folders of photographs; 1 folder of blueprints and oversize material)
English
The files are arranged alphabetically by topic.
Athletic Department. The files were transmitted through the Records Management Center to the University Archives in 1988 (Accession 88-127); in 1989 (Accession 89-15); in 1990 (Accession 90-34); in 1994 (Accession 94-90); and in 1995 (Accession 95-117).
The following items have been separated for purposes of preservation.
Ford, Danny/Bill Foster/unidentified man, 5x7, B&W
Ford, Danny on sideline, 8x10, B&W
Ford, Danny on field, 8x10, B&W
Harper, Tom, 5x7, B&W
Herrin, Les, 5x7, B&W
Stokely, Nelson, 5x7, B&W
Van Der Heyden, Larry, (2) 5x7, B&W
Aircraft, 5x7, Color
Baby - Cuttino, Allen, 4x6, Color
Eugene Fuller, (2), 4x6, Color
Tiger Statues, (2) 4x6, Color
Weatherford, Jamie, 3x5, color
Ackerman, Wes with Coach Ford, 4x6, Color
Kellers, Frank with Coach Ford, 4x6, Color
Ward, Elizabeth, (Miss America 1982), 8x10, B&W
Snapshots of Ford on TV, 1981 National Championship Game, (3) 3x5, Color
Banks McFadden (1) 8x10, B&W
Unidentified (3) 8x10, B&W
Adkins, Rusty, (3) 8x10, B&W
Calvert, Jackie W.,(2) 8x10, B&W
Fritts, George H., 8x10, B&W
Gillespie, Frank I., 8x10, B&W
Roy, Wallace R., (2) 8x10, B&W
Sloan, A. Hoke, (2) 8x10, B&W
Hall of Fame Inductee Plaques, 8x10, B&W
Unidentified, (4) 8x10, B&W
Armstrong, F.E. “Boo”, 8x10, B&W
Cline, Ty, 4x5, B&W
Cline, Ty, 8x10, B&W
Collins, Roger, 5x7, B&W
Collins, Roger, 8x10, B&W
Fike, Eleanor , 8x10, B&W
Matthews, Ray, 4x5, B&W
Matthews, Ray, 8x10, B&W
Pressley, O.K., 8x10, B&W
Unidentified (3)
Armstrong, F.E. “Boo”, 4x5, B&W
Cline, Ty, 4x5, B&W
Mathews, Ray, 4x5, B&W
Pressley, O.K., 4x5, B&W
Hoffman, C. Doug, 4x5, B&W
Hudson, Robert, 4x5, B&W
Olszewski, Harry L., 4x5, B&W
Owens, J.C., 4x5, B&W
Ritchie, R.R. “Red”, 4x5, B&W
Wyndham, S.F.,4x5, B&W
Berry, Joe N., 8x10, B&W
Hamilton, R.G., 8x10, B&W
Heisman, John, (2) 8x10, B&W
Milford, Lee W., 8x10, B&W
Patterson, Larry R. “Choppy”, (2) 8x10, B&W
Waters, Charles T. (Charlie), 8x10, B&W
White, Harvey T., 8x10, B&W
Unidentified, 8x10, B&W
Unidentified, (2) 8x10, Color
Hoover, Fred, accepting award, 8x10, Color
Yockel, Vince, accepting award, 8x10, Color
Unidentified, accepting award, 8x10, Color
Group of inductees on the field, (2) 8x10, Color
Unidentified (5) 4x5, B&W
Moore, Wayland, Artist, presenting artwork to Bill McLellan, (2) 5x7, B&W
Decorated Bicycle, (2) 3x5, Color
National Champions Sign, 3x5, Color
Weatherford, Jamie (age 12) Funeral Spray, 31/2x5, Color
Swimming Pool at Anchorage Plantation, 31/2x5, Color
Motorcycle Plate, 31/2x4, Color
Wall Display at R.C. Edwards Junior High School, (6) 31/2x5, Color
Re’generation Performance, (2) 8x10, B&W
Group eating, 5x7, B&W, 8x10, B&W
Linda Ferry, LTA, Katie Lucas, student assistant, 1996-1997; Wesley Ryans, student assistant 1995.
The conversion of this finding aid to Encoded Archival Description format was made possible with a grant from the South Carolina State Historical Records Advisory Board in 2009-2010. The finding aid was prepared for encoding by Carl Redd.
Part of the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository