1993

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1993 in Clemson History

Events in 1993

  • The Sloan Tennis Center is completed.
  • Clemson-based band Sunbrain releases their debut album, Perfection Lies, released on New York's Grass Records.
  • January: The Clemson World publishes article on the history of the Tiger mascot by C. Mark Sublette in the Winter 1993 issue, Volume 46, Number 1, pages 12-17.
  • February 25: Toy Caldwell, lead vocalist for the recently disbanded Marshall Tucker Band, Spartanburg natives, dies of a heart attack shortly after releasing his first solo album.
  • February 27: Sigma Alpha Tau Chapter is established at Clemson University. Sigma Alpha is a sorority promoting women in all fields of agriculture.
  • March 12-March 15: The "Storm of the Century" or the "Blizzard of '93" socks the entire East Coast of the United States, dropping snow from the Florida Panhandle to Canada.
  • May: Clemson mechanical engineering students win a $1,500 prize in the Clean Air Vehicle Association (CAVA) Grand Prix Conference and Exposition in Atlanta when their electric car places first for design paper, second overall and second for performance. Seventeen undergraduates redesigned and rebuilt a 1980 Volkswagen Rabbit for the competition, converting it to electrical power, everything but the body being redone for the contest. The electric motor, controller and batteries were provided by their manufacturers through CAVA. Special safety devices had to be installed, including a roll cage and an emergency switch that can disconnect all power to the motor. The students substituted a five-speed transmission for the standard 4-speed. They redesigned the suspension for improved handling. "This conversion process was totally student designed, driven and managed," said Amit Bagchi, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and the students' faculty advisor. David Wilkerson was executive coordinator of the student group, called Clemson Alternative Automotive Technology. Student team leaders included Brad Merritt, the electrical group; Nitin Shanbhag, the mechanical group; Brad Golden, the group coordinating electrical and mechanical aspects of design; and Edie Johnson, publicity and fund raising. The Clean Air Vehicle Association and Manheim Auctions provided Clemson with the VW. Major sponsors for the entry included General Electric, Goodyear and Trojan Batteries. The department of mechanical engineering provided funding, and engineering services provided technical assistance and facilities. Other sponsors included Automotive Performance Systems, Troppo Veloce Restorations, I/O Port Racing Supplies and REBO Machining. (Clemson World News, August 1993, Volume 15, Number 2, page 5.)
  • September 4: Clemson defeats the University of Nevada - Las Vegas, 24-14, in home opener in Memorial Stadium. Clemson ranked 22nd in the Associated Press poll.
  • September 10: A pregame barbecue and pep rally are held at the Ramada Inn Tallahassee. (Clemson World News, August 1993, Volume 15, Number 2, page 6.)
  • September 11: The Tigers are blanked by number one-ranked Florida State University, 0-57, in Tallahassee, Adios, number 21 AP ranking. This is the worst pummeling for the Tigers since 1931, when Alabama beat Clemson 7-74. ("FSU proves too strong for Tigers" by Managing Editor Geoff Wilson, The Tiger, September 17, 1993, Volume 87, Number 4, page 2B.)
  • September 13: It is announced that the new NFL franchise, the Carolina Panthers, will play their inaugural season in Clemson Memorial Stadium. ("Carolina franchise to play in Death Valley" by Sports Editor Lou Potenza, The Tiger, September 17, 1993, Volume 87, Number 4, page 3B.)
  • September 17: Fools Like U plays at the Underground during happy hour, 4-8 p.m. TD's features The Merge, playing rock, cover announced at the door. "Ghost Stories", six tales by Steven King, adapted for the stage by Robert Pridham, in Tillman Auditorium, 8 p.m., tickets available at the student union, $5 for students, $9 for general public, $7.50 for senior citizens/youth. Outskirts plays country at the Esso Club. Taylor Corey Band appears at McP's private club in Rogers Plaza. "Oliver" has opening night at the Pendleton Playhouse. (The Tiger, September 17, 1993, Volume 87, Number 4, pages 1C, 2C.)
  • September 24: The Deadly Crankdogs play at TD's. Football movie, "The Program" starring James Caan as the coach of a large university team, opens in theatres. Filmed largely at the University of South Carolina and utilizing Williams-Brice Stadium, it includes a scene where players play "road chicken", lying down on the centerline of a busy highway, which is cut from the film after several incidents around the country where people stupidly emulate it.
  • September 25: Clemson defeats Georgia Tech, 16-13, in Death Valley. The Tiger Cub mascot, nephew of the Tiger, makes his first public debut. Student Jay Williams is the plank-holding Tiger Cub.
  • October: The Clemson World News, a newsprint publication, merges with the Clemson World, a "slick" magazine. (Clemson World News, August 1993, Volume 15, Number 2, page 2.)
  • October 2: The Tigers down number 24-ranked North Carolina State, 20-14, in Memorial Stadium.
  • October 9: Clemson defeats Duke, 13-10, in Durham.
  • October 16: The Tigers are defeated by Wake Forest, 16-20, in Memorial Stadium. This will be half of the Demon Deacon victories for the season.
  • October 23: Clemson shuts out East Tennessee State University, 27-0, in Death Valley.
  • October 30: Tigers blank the Terps, 29-0, in Memorial Stadium. Maryland will finish season with 2-9 record.
  • October 31- and Golden Globe-nominated American film actor, died of a drug overdose on the sidewalk outside the West Hollywood nightclub the Viper Room. He was the oldest sibling of actors Rain Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix, Liberty Phoenix and Summer Phoenix. He was listed on John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 38 as one of twelve "promising new actors of 1986", and was hailed as highly talented by such critics as Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel. Also well known for his animal rights activism, he was a spokesperson for PETA and a strict vegan. (from the mainside Wikipedia.)
  • November 6: The Clemson Tigers are blanked 0-24 in a night game played at 16th ranked University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
  • November 13: The Tigers defeat the 18th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers, 23-14, in Clemson Memorial Stadium.
  • November 19: Pre-game party and pep rally held at the Town House hotel in Columbia. (Clemson World News, August 1993, Volume 15, Number 2, page 6.)
  • November 20: Ken Hatfield coaches the 24th-ranked Tigers to a 16-13 win over South Carolina in Columbia.
  • November 24: Coach Hatfield announces that he will be leaving Clemson.
  • December 31: Tommy West wins his first game as Clemson head coach when the 23rd-ranked Tigers defeat the Kentucky Wildcats in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, 14-13, in a night game. West took over the helm after the regular season when Ken Hatfield resigned after the South Carolina game. He is the first coach in college football history to win a post-season game with a team he did not coach during the regular season. Tigers finish season with 9-3 record, 5-3 in conference for third in the ACC. Final season polls place Clemson twenty-third (Associated Press) and twenty-second (USA Today).



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