1960

1960 in Clemson History

Events in 1960

• John H. Butler arrives at Clemson as Director of Bands.
• Walter L. Lowry, Jr. becomes dean of Engineering.
• The Agricultural Engineering Building, later named McAdams Hall, is completed.
• Monty's Rascals goes on the air on WFBC-TV, Channel 4, hosted by weatherman Monty DuPuy.
• Alabama Polytechnic Institute formally renames itself Auburn University, which is what everybody called it since the turn of the century, anyway...
• April 1 - WSBF makes its first over-the-air broadcast.
• May 25: Dean Francis Marion Kinard dies unexpectedly. (Reel, Jerome V., "The High Seminary: A History of the Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina Volume 1", Clemson University Digital Press at the Center for Electronic and Digital Publishing, Clemson University, South Carolina, 2011, ISBN 978-0-9842598-9-2, page 456.)
• September 24: With a number nine-ranking, the Tigers travel to Wake Forest for first game of the season, winning, 28-7.
• October 1: Ranked seventh, Clemson defeats Virginia Tech, 13-7, in Death Valley.
• October 8: Eighth-ranked Tigers down Virginia, 21-7, in Memorial Stadium.
• October 15: Still ranked eighth for the second week, the Tigers travel to Maryland, losing 17-19. This will be Clemson's last weekly ranking until October 22, 1977. Here begins the long drought.
• October 22: The Tigers travel to Duke, lose, 6-21.
• October 29: Clemson loses at Vanderbilt, 20-22.
• November 5: The Tigers host North Carolina, win, 24-0.
• November 10: Freshman begin beating the "Beat Carolina" drum at noon.
• November 11: The Rev. Gator Farr delivers his customary funeral eulogy for the Gamecock at a Friday evening pep rally held in the Amphitheatre.
• November 12: In first game against the Gamecocks played in Clemson, the Tigers triumph, 12-2, in front of a crowd of 45,080. (Martin, Johnny, "Death Valley: 72 Years of Exciting Football at Clemson University", Independent Publishing Co., Anderson, S.C., 1968, Library of Congress card number 68-58849, page 13.) Initially dubbed "Solid Saturday", an attempt to emulate the now discontinued "Big Thursday", the term will not have staying power and falls out of use. Blue Key and Central Dance Association sponsor the Blue Key Dance for students from both institutions in the new dining hall (later named Harcombe Commons) with music provided by B. S. Plair and his combo, who offer up a popular rendition of the Isley Brothers' hit "Shout". (TAPS 1961, Volume LI, pages 26-27.)
• November 19: Clemson travels to Boston College, loses, 14-25.
• November 26: To end 6-4 season, Clemson defeats Furman in Death Valley, 42-14. Tigers are 4-2 in conference, for fourth place in the ACC.
• December: New Winn-Dixie store opens at bottom of hill on College Avenue.
• December 9: The Portman Shoals hydro-electric plant on the Seneca River shuts down permanently as the waters of Lake Hartwell are set to rise. Duke Power dismantles the equipment and salvages anything valuable or useful. Outdated machinery is offered for sale as scrap. By the time the waters of the new reservoir immerse the 64-year old plant, it is just a shell. (Klosky, Beth Ann, "Six Miles That Changed The Course of The South", The Electric City Centennial Committee, Electric City Printing, Anderson, South Carolina, 1995, no ISBN, pages 81-82.)

1959

The 1960's

1961