|
|
UAPB Mourns
the Death of Athletic Director H.O. Clemmons
July 8, 2002
PINE BLUFF, Ark. -- After 56 years of serve, the University of Arkansas
at Pine Bluff mourns the loss of its athletic director Hubert O. Clemmons.
He died early Friday evening at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine
Bluff.
Clemmons, who was 77 years old, announced his plans in April to retire as
athletic director as soon as a replacement was appointed. In addition to
his athletic duties, Clemmons served as an assistant professor in the Department
of Health, Physical Education and Recreation for more than 40 years.
He played a vital role in UAPB’s return to the Southwestern Athletic
Conference and is credited as the “pioneer” for the Golden Lions
rejoining the conference in 1997 after a 20-year absence.
“He has done so much for the school,” said UAPB Chancellor,
Dr. Lawrence A. Davis Jr. “He worked so hard. He was responsible for
reviving the football program (after the NAIA death penalty in 1991) and
leading it to unprecedented heights.”
“Through his efforts, we enhanced the Arkansas Classic and began playing
the in the (St. Louis) Gateway Classic and the Red River (Shreveport) Classic.”
Davis added. “Additionally, he lead us into NCAA Division I participation.”
Clemmons, who served as head basketball coach for 20 years before resigning
in 1977, compiled a 296-217 record which ranked 7th at that time among active
NCAA Division II coaches.
His most accomplished season was in 1967 when he was named NAIA-District
30 Coach of the Year after leading UAPB to its only SWAC basketball championship
and to the NCAA Division II national post season tournament. The Lions posted
a 24-7 record that year.
Led by All-American shooting guard James “Mack” Allen and the
prolific scoring guard Harold Blevins, the Lions led the NCAA Division II
ranks in team scoring with an average of 100 points per contest during the
1963 –64 basketball season.
Blevins later became the first-ever Golden Lion basketball player to be
drafted when the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association
selected him in the second round of the 1965 draft.
A native of Almyra, Arkansas, Clemmons received his undergraduate degree
form Arkansas AM&N College and his master’s degree from Indiana
University.
Clemmons is survived by his wife of 54 years, Faye, three sons and a daughter.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, July 10, at 11:00 a.m. in the auditorium
of the Hathaway-Howard Fine Arts Center on campus. In lieu of flowers, the
family requests that donations be sent to the H.O. Clemmons Athletic Scholarship
Fund at UAPB.
|
