June 1st Clemson Historic Picture Of The Day

A “Special” Recognition During 1981 Football Season

(Photos Uploaded By Alan Cutts)

Today’s photo is not only historic, but a little bit unique and maybe even a little spooky!

The above photo was taken on October 10th, 1981 in the pregame of the Clemson/Virginia football game on a wet day in Death Valley. This is a photo of the 1956 football team that was celebrating its 25th Anniversary of their Orange Bowl Berth.

The 1956 team went 7-1-2 during the season and was invited to play Colorado in the 1956 Orange Bowl, capping a great season for Frank Howard’s boys.

This photo was taken during the Homecoming weekend in 1981, when the buzz for Clemson’s National Title run was just beginning to make noise. At that point in the 1981 season, we were 4-0 with a big win against Georgia and had just entered the National polls.

But we were coming off a 6-5 season in 1980, and there were still many skeptics about Danny Ford as the head coach of the Tigers. Nobody, even in their wildest dreams, thought that just 2 1/2 months later, the 1981 team would be returning to the Orange Bowl to play for the National Championship.

All of the talk of the Orange Bowl on this day was about the 1956 team…but that talk would soon change to Clemson as the Tigers rolled to an 11-0 regular season.

Below is an excerpt from a letter sent to Clemson Athletic Director Bill McLellan in November of 1980, echoing the sentiment of many Tiger fans and their frustration with Danny Ford.

“I still feel we do not have enough know how or experience on our staff and that eventually in order to have any kind of strong program, drastic changes must come,” – Clemson fan Manuel Fernandez writing to Clemson athletic director Bill McLellan on Nov. 4, 1980.

Drastic changes were coming. Not to Danny Ford, but to Clemson Nation. You can read the entire article about the 1981 team at the link below: http://www.myorangeupdate.com/2011/08/26469/

(Note: If you have old pictures dating before 1990 that are Clemson related and you would like to share them, send them to me in an email with as much information about the picture as you can give and I will use it for a future “Clemson Historic Picture Of The Day”).

Scott Rhymer can be reached at Scottrhymer.tps@gmail.com

May 31st Clemson Historic Picture Of The Day

Lake Hartwell and Clemson

(Photos Uploaded By Alan Cutts)

Today's photos focus on the construction and history of the Lake Hartwell Dam and how that impacted Clemson.

The above color photo is from the 1930's and shows Clemson campus before the flooding of the rivers in Clemson that would eventually make Lake Hartwell. The Flood Control Act of 17 May 1950 authorized the Hartwell Dam and Reservoir as the second unit in the comprehensive development of the Savannah River Basin.

The original project provided for a gravity-type concrete dam 2,415 feet long with earth embankments at either end, which would be 6,050 feet long on the Georgia side and 3,935 feet long on the South Carolina side. Full power pool was designed to be 660 feet above mean sea level.

Construction of the Hartwell project took place from 1955 and was completed in 1963. And construction of the dam started in 1955 and was finished in 1959.


Lake Hartwell is named for the American Revolutionary War figure Nancy Hart. Nancy Hart lived in the Georgia frontier, and it was her devotion to freedom that has helped make her name commonplace in the Georgia upcountry today. A county, city, lake, state park and highway among others, bear her name.

She married Benjamin Hart and moved to South Carolina where they parented a healthy family of eight children. It is difficult to know the truth about Nancy because there are many myths, hearsay, exaggeration and some imagination in stories that have been told about her. She was about 6 feet tall, could handle an axe or musket and wasn’t afraid to use them, but above all she loved her freedom.

The first challenge in building the Hartwell Dam was in August 1956 when Mrs. Eliza Brock and her daughter refused to allow workmen to come on their property to begin clearing for the reservoir area. This involved 103 acres of land that the government gained ownership of in June of 1956.

Apparently Mrs. Brock never received the offer for her land therefore refusing to allow them on her property. After delaying construction, Mrs. Brock eventually settled on $6,850 for her property.

The next challenge took place in late 1956 when Clemson College objected to the damage that would be done to its property as a result of the impounded water in the reservoir. After countless meetings Clemson finally settled on an agreement where two diversion dams would be built in the vicinity of Clemson College and rechannel the Seneca River.

(Note: If you have old pictures dating before 1990 that are Clemson related and you would like to share them, send them to me in an email with as much information about the picture as you can give and I will use it for a future “Clemson Historic Picture Of The Day”).

Scott Rhymer can be reached at Scottrhymer.tps@gmail.com

 
Credit to Clemsonwiki.com

Broadcast Info And Preview Of Coastal Carolina

By Scott Rhymer scottrhymer.tps@gmail.com
Tigerpregame via Twitter
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 Tigers Turn Focus Towards Coastal Carolina

Clemson Sports Information

Third-seeded Coastal Carolina (41-17) enters the Columbia Regional after winning the Big South Conference Tournament with a 4-0 record last weekend. 

The Chanticleers, who are 3-0 in neutral-site contests, had an 18-5 conference record during the regular season, as it finished atop the Big South Conference standings.  The 2012 season marks the 12th time in school history and the 11th time in the last 12 years that Coastal Carolina has played in an NCAA Tournament.

Coastal Carolina is led by 17th-year Head Coach Gary Gilmore.  The Chanticleers have won seven games in a row and 17 of their last 21 games.  They are 10-7 in one-run games and 1-7 in extra-inning contests as well.

Coastal Carolina is hitting .285 with a .377 slugging percentage and .386 on-base percentage.  Coastal Carolina, who is fielding at a .965 clip, has also totaled 88 doubles, 11 triples, 23 home runs, 70 hit-by-pitches, 73 sacrifice bunts, and is averaging 5.5 runs per game along with 87 stolen bases in 114 attempts.

Daniel Bowman leads the team with a .401 batting average along with 12 doubles, five triples, six homers, 38 RBIs, and 14 steals.  Rich Witten is batting .350 with 16 doubles, five home runs, and 62 RBIs.  Alex Buccilli has a .320 batting average with three homers and 40 RBIs.  Jacob May has added a team-high 25 stolen bases as well.

The pitching staff has a 2.53 ERA (second-best in the nation) and .235 opponents’ batting average.  The staff has allowed just 24 homers and 189 walks against 381 strikeouts, good for a 2.02-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Sophomore righthander Tyler Herb is 8-2 with a 2.87 ERA in 87.2 innings pitched over 16 starts.  Junior lefty Austin Wallace is 5-0 with a 2.05 ERA in 57.0 innings pitched over 14 appearances (10 starts).  Junior righties Ryan Connolly (11) and Aaron Burke (7) have combined for 18 saves.  Connolly is 5-2 with a 2.11 ERA in 72.2 innings pitched over 34 relief appearances, while Burke is 10-5 with a 1.18 ERA in 76.1 innings pitched over 34 relief outings.

Clemson and Coastal Carolina have met 48 times, with the Tigers holding a 40-8 lead in the series that dates to 1986.  On April 24, 2012, Coastal Carolina overcame five errors to defeat Clemson 10-7 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in their only meeting during the 2012 regular season.

On April 5, 2011, the Tigers defeated Coastal Carolina 5-4 when pinch-hitter Jon McGibbon lined a walkoff single in the 10th inning to score Brad Miller.  The Tigers trailed 4-3 entering the ninth inning before pinch-hitter Dominic Attanasio hit a double in the frame to tie the score.  Then in the Clemson Regional on June 4, 2011, the Tigers totaled 14 hits in their 12-7 win over the Chanticleers.  Richie Shaffer went 3-for-4 with a homer, double, and four RBIs, while Phil Pohl went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs in that game.

The two teams have never faced each other on a neutral field, but the two teams faced off in the 2007 Myrtle Beach (SC) Regional, hosted by the Chanticleers.  Clemson won both meetings by scores of 11-8 and 15-3 to advance to the Starkville (MS) Super Regional.  The two meetings in the 2007 postseason and the one meeting in 2011 comprise the three all-time matchups between the two teams in the NCAA Tournament.

Jack Leggett has a 27-6 mark against Coastal Carolina as Clemson’s head coach.

Tiger Baseball, and the Road To Omaha, continues Friday as Clemson plays Coastal Carolina in the NCAA Regional at 12:00. The radio broadcast for the game will be provided by WCCP 104.9 FM in Clemson.

You can listen via the radio or stream the audio from http://www.wccpfm.com/. If you do not have access to a computer or radio, you can download the Tune In App (it is free) for your Droid, Blackberry, or IPhone/IPad and choose WCCP 104.9 FM. This will allow you to stream the audio from the game on your smart phone.

Roy Philpott will give play by play with Bob Mahoney offering color analysis all throughout the regional.

Broadcast time for Friday is 11:30 with first pitch at 12:00.

Clemson (33-26) is the #2 seed in the Columbia  Regional at Carolina Stadium. 

Clemson is joined by #1-seeded and host South Carolina (40-17), #3-seeded Coastal Carolina (41-17), and #4-seeded Manhattan (33-25).

South Carolina will then face Manhattan on Friday at 4:00 PM.

The two losers will play on Saturday at 12:00 PM, while the two winners will play on Saturday at 4:00 PM.  The winner of the second game on Saturday will play in the championship round on Sunday at 4:00 PM, while the loser of Saturday’s second game will play the winner of Saturday’s first game on Sunday at 12:00 PM.  If the unbeaten team loses on Sunday, the same two teams will play a game on Monday at 7:00 PM to determine the champion.

All games of the Columbia Regional will be televised live by ESPNU and will also be available via webcast at ESPN3.  All of Clemson’s games in the regional will also be broadcast live on the radio by Clemson Tiger Sports Network.  Live stats will be available at ClemsonTigers.com for all Tiger games as well.

The winner of the Columbia Regional will play the winner of the Charlottesville (VA) Regional between June 8-11.  The four teams in that regional are #1-seeded Virginia, #2-seeded Oklahoma, #3-seeded Appalachian State, and #4-seeded Army.

Go Tigers!

Scott Rhymer can be reached at scottrhymer.tps@gmail.com

May 30th Clemson Historic Picture Of The Day

First Friday Parade In 1977

(Photos Uploaded By Alan Cutts)

Today’s photos are from the 1977 First Friday Parade. The above picture shows a Clemson Fraternity moving up College Avenue on their way to the Outdoor Theatre for the Pep Rally. Check out the sign on Mr. Knickerbocker’s to the right side of the picture!

When this photo was taken, the First Friday Parade was only in its 3rd year. Started in 1974, the First Friday Parade has been held the Friday afternoon before the first home football game to celebrate the new football season. The parade tradition began in September 1974 in response to a perceived lack of spirit and morale about the Clemson University football team's prospects.

1967 was the last time the Tigers had had a winning season and the first two games for 1974 were played away with Texas A&M crushing Clemson, 24-0, and N.C. State beating the Tigers, 31-10. The brothers of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity began rabble-rousing with Central Spirit to throw a parade to buck up Tiger spirits before the first home game with Georgia Tech, so on Friday, September 27, 1974 was born the "Wreck Tech" Parade.

It wound from the old Winn-Dixie parking lot (now the Blue Heron location), up the hill on College Avenue through downtown Clemson and ended at the Amphitheatre where an enthusiastic pep rally was held. It had the desired effect. The following day the Tigers beat the Yellow Jackets, 21-17, and the team went onto an undefeated home record of 7-4. Coach Red Parker was named ACC Coach of the Year. In 1975,

Clemson opened at home against the Tulane Green Waves and the First Friday Parade was named the "Dam the Wave" Parade. Eventually the habit of naming individual parades was dropped and the event became known universally as the First Friday Parade.

The route of the parade has been twice altered. It originally began at the bottom of the hill on College Avenue at the old Winn-Dixie parking lot and went to the Amphitheatre. After the parade was "removed" from downtown, post-1982, following a particularly debauched example of Clemson "Spirit", it began up the Old Greenville Highway near the east entrance to the campus and proceeded to the Amphitheatre.

In recent years, the origin has been the same, but the pep rally has been located west to historic Riggs Field where the parade concludes for a women's soccer game.

(Note: If you have old pictures dating before 1990 that are Clemson related and you would like to share them, send them to me in an email with as much information about the picture as you can give and I will use it for a future “Clemson Historic Picture Of The Day”).

Scott Rhymer can be reached at Scottrhymer.tps@gmail.com


Credit to Clemsonwiki.com

Broadcast Info And Preview As Tigers Head To Columbia Regional

By Scott Rhymer scottrhymer.tps@gmail.com
Tigerpregame via Twitter
The Tiger Pregame Show via Facebook

 Tigers Enter Enemy Territory With Regional On The Line

(Photo By Rex Brown, IPTAY Media)

Tiger Baseball, and the Road To Omaha, continues Friday as Clemson plays Coastal Carolina in the NCAA Regional at 12:00. The radio broadcast for the game will be provided by WCCP 104.9 FM in Clemson.

You can listen via the radio or stream the audio from http://www.wccpfm.com/. If you do not have access to a computer or radio, you can download the Tune In App (it is free) for your Droid, Blackberry, or IPhone/IPad and choose WCCP 104.9 FM. This will allow you to stream the audio from the game on your smart phone.

Roy Philpott will give play by play with Bob Mahoney offering color analysis all throughout the regional.

Broadcast time for Friday is 11:30 with first pitch at 12:00.

Clemson (33-26) is the #2 seed in the Columbia  Regional at Carolina Stadium. 

Clemson is joined by #1-seeded and host South Carolina (40-17), #3-seeded Coastal Carolina (41-17), and #4-seeded Manhattan (33-25).

The first game of the tourney will pit Clemson against Coastal Carolina on Friday at 12:00 PM.  The Tigers will be the designated home team against the Chanticleers. 

South Carolina will then face Manhattan on Friday at 4:00 PM.

The two losers will play on Saturday at 12:00 PM, while the two winners will play on Saturday at 4:00 PM.  The winner of the second game on Saturday will play in the championship round on Sunday at 4:00 PM, while the loser of Saturday’s second game will play the winner of Saturday’s first game on Sunday at 12:00 PM.  If the unbeaten team loses on Sunday, the same two teams will play a game on Monday at 7:00 PM to determine the champion.

All games of the Columbia Regional will be televised live by ESPNU and will also be available via webcast at ESPN3.  All of Clemson’s games in the regional will also be broadcast live on the radio by Clemson Tiger Sports Network.  Live stats will be available at ClemsonTigers.com for all Tiger games as well.

The winner of the Columbia Regional will play the winner of the Charlottesville (VA) Regional between June 8-11.  The four teams in that regional are #1-seeded Virginia, #2-seeded Oklahoma, #3-seeded Appalachian State, and #4-seeded Army.

Go Tigers!

Scott Rhymer can be reached at scottrhymer.tps@gmail.com