1949

From ClemsonWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

1949 in Clemson History

Events in 1949

  • The Clemson Lutheran Church dedicates its sanctuary on Sloan Street.
  • The Southern Railway begins receiving new post-war-ordered light-weight passenger cars to reequip worn out rolling stock, especially for name trains like the Southerner, the Tennessean, and the Crescent.
  • Walter L. Lowry, Jr. joins the faculty at Clemson in the civil engineering department, coming from Virginia Military Institute where he had taught.
  • January 1: Clemson Tigers complete their first undefeated football season since 1900, 11-0, beating the Missouri Tigers in the fourth annual Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, 24-23. From TAPS, Volume XXXIX, 1949, pages 410-411: "A bowl bid makes any team's season complete, win or lose. It was only fitting that the undefeated Tigers received a bid to play The University of Missouri in the Gator Bowl at Jacksonville, Florida. The Tiger superiority began to show in the first period when [Fred] Cone smashed over for the initial score of the game. Late in the same period Clemson marched 61 yards for another score. Again it was Cone powering his way over for the touchdown. Missouri came roaring back in the second period to score two touchdowns and tie the game up again. The Tigers added another tally in the third period on a beautiful pass from [Bobby] Gage to [John] Poulos. The [Jack] Miller combination added their third extra point of the day. Missouri scored a safety late in the third quarter when Gage's pass was grounded in the end zone. Jack Miller added the final Bengal score with a beautiful 22-yard field goal from a difficult angle. Missouri fought back with another tally, but Clemson still led 24-23 and the game ended a few plays later. Thus the Tigers ended a successful season as one of the two undefeated untied powers in the nation. As a fitting tribute to his outstanding performance and expert signal calling, Bobby Gage was awarded the Burkhalter Memorial trophy as the most outstanding player of the game." This is the most successful match in the Gator Bowl Association's sponsorship and the attendance of Tiger fans literally saves the Gator Bowl from financial collapse as the first three years were less than sell-outs. Attendence given as 32,939. The Gator Bowl Association will always hold a warm spot in their hearts for Clemson, as the team that saved the series. Then, as now, the Tigers travel well. Coach Howard will acknowledge this team as the one that saved his career for the rest of his days. ClemsonWiki administrator C. Mark Sublette's father, Richard A. Sublette was a left end with this squad. (DiMarco, Anthony C., "The Big Bowl Football Guide", G.P Putnam's Sons, New York, 1974, revised edition 1976, ISBN 399-11800-4, page 109.)
  • May 5: The Tiger newspaper reported that Tiger Brotherhood selected Mrs. Paul Sloan (Lenora) Rochester, from Salem, S.C., as Clemson's first "mother of the year." She was selected because she had the most sons (six) graduate from Clemson.
  • June 16: The Board of Directors of Oconee Memorial Hospital approve construction of a new wing for the facility. ("The Heritage of Oconee County, Vol. 1, 1868-1995, The Blue Ridge Arts Council, Seneca, South Carolina, 1995, Library of Congress card number 95-61417, page 20.)
  • August 16: Margaret Mitchell, author of "Gone With The Wind", dies in hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, five days after being struck by an off-duty taxi driver as she crossed Peachtree Street at 13th Street with her husband, five days earlier. She never regained consciousness. She was 49.
  • Fall: Clemson Agricultural College sees a record enrollment of 3,360, swollen by post-war veterans. Following this peak, the student body will shrink for several years, hastening the demise of the military corps structure and operation of the college.
  • September 17: In a night game, Clemson rolls over Presbyterian in home opener, 69-7.
  • September 24: Rice University snaps Clemson's longest winning streak at fifteen games with a 7-33 victory over the Tigers in a night game played in Houston. Rice will enjoy a 10-1 season.
  • October 1: The Tigers win night game at N.C. State, 7-6.
  • October 8: Clemson and Mississippi State tie, 7-7, in Memorial Stadium night game. Miss. State will be winless, 0-8-1.
  • October 20: The Tigers are defeated by South Carolina, 13-27, in Columbia.
  • October 29: In a night game, Clemson hosts Wake Forest, loses, 21-35.
  • November 5: Boston College visits Clemson, defeats Tigers, 27-40.
  • November 12: Clemson hosts Duquesne in a night game, winning, 33-20.
  • November 19: The Tigers defeat Furman in Sirrine Stadium in Greenville, 28-21.
  • November 26: Clemson and Auburn play in Mobile, Alabama, in Ernest F. Ladd Memorial Stadium, constructed in 1948, renamed Ladd Peebles Stadium in 1997, tie, 20-20. Clemson has a 4-4-2 season, 2-2 in conference play, eighth in the Southern Conference.



1948 The 1940's 1950