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Replies: 27
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CU Guru [1268]
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Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 9:32 AM
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Share your memories of growing up as a Tiger fan.
My Dad was a fan and we listened to many Tiger games on a small transistor radio - if the game was not on TV. BTW most games were not on TV and many people did not have TVs anyway.
I was caught at school using an ear plug connected to my small transistor radio. I was listening to Clemson play in the ACC BB tourney. My teacher sent me to the principal's office. It was near the end of the game and Butch Pathazlo (SP?) was shooting free throws. On my way to the office I went to the restroom and listened till the end of the game. Clemson lost. No shot clock so Clemson held the ball for long periods of time to try to win. The principal took my radio and as I was leaving, asked me who won. My Dad was my principal's pharmacist so he returned the radio to my Dad late that afternoon. My Dad told me to never take the radio to school and said, "Son, I hate the Tigers lost."
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Letterman [256]
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Re: Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 9:44 AM
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Thanks.... Butch Zatezlo (3 time all ACC).... Passed away in 2005, I believe.... My history teacher (and coach) was a big Clemson fan.... So we listened to the end of the game.... Believe it was first round ACC against the highly rated Frank McGuire (SCar) team....
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CU Medallion [52457]
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Mine was also basketball related
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Jan 21, 2024, 10:17 AM
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Dad had a Clemson/UNC basketball game on TV (when I was around six years old). I didn't know anything about the game other than it was Clemson--never watched basketball. After 3-4 minutes of watching I told my dad, "I don't like him." Who was this guy? It was none other than Dean Smith.
My opinion of him never changed.
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CU Medallion [67853]
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Re: Your tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 9:49 AM
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I was a young adult living out of the area in 1981. There was to be a replay in the middle of the night on fledgling ESPN of us beating UNC 13-9 in Chapel Hill. This was the highest ranked meeting of 2 ACC teams to that point in time. Since the game was not on live tv for us and we had no vcr we set the clock and got up at 3 AM I think to watch it (condensed version)
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Orange Blooded [3901]
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Re: Your tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 9:55 AM
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My parents would put the radio on the kitchen counter and we would listen to Jim Phillips call the game. Great memories!
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110%er [6898]
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Freshman [7]
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Re: Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 10:00 AM
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My Tiger fandom began in 1980 when I was four years old, watching those games with my dad. I’ll never forget my dad buying me a 1981 national championship hat at a flea market a few weeks after that. Some great memories listening to bowl games on the radio (beating West Virginia when Major Harris was there). I also remember crying when Steve Spurrier and Duke beat us. I took that loss hard for some reason, and I’ve hated Spurrier since then.
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Lot o points [155948]
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You'll never know what you missed if you didn't slide down
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Jan 21, 2024, 10:02 AM
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the small hill in the northwest end zone corner on pieces of scrap cardboard while the actual football game was going on.
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CU Guru [1932]
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Re: Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 10:15 AM
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My Dad knew a guy in NC who could score concession stand passes at UNC. So in 1981 our family of four got into the football game on some of those. We sat on the edge of the stands next to the Clemson band and watched one of the most important wins in Clemson history.
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Orange Blooded [3290]
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Re: Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
Jan 22, 2024, 6:12 AM
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4 of us went to Chapel Hill in '81 for the game. We stayed with a friend, who was head of the Chapel Hill Optimist Club. 2 had tickets and our friend got two of us Concession Passes. We made and sold 144 dozen hot dogs and sold out before Kickoff, so we saw the whole game.
PS our friend did serve us blue grits the morning of the game! The things you do for Clemson Football!
I also had a Biology and Drivers Ed teacher in high school that would bring a TV for the ACC Tourney and World Series!
Message was edited by: djones73®
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CU Medallion [58424]
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I saw my first Clemson football game when I was just over 1 yr old.
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Jan 21, 2024, 10:49 AM
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We attended football games regularly while I was growing up. I became an IPTAY member and season ticket holder when I turned 8 years old in 1967, and only missed a handful of home games over the next 30+ years.
Early 2000s, and a friend of mine who was not a football fan got married on the day of the Clemson/Coot game. During the ceremony, I had a cheap transistor radio in my pocket with the wired earbuds in my ears. The whole time I was getting dirty looks from most of the women in attendence. But, as soon as it was over and we filed out, all of the men ran over to me ... "ARE YOU LISTENING TO THE GAME? WHAT'S THE SCORE? IS CLEMSON AHEAD? HOW MUCH TIME IS LEFT?"
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All-TigerNet [10859]
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Re: Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 11:09 AM
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I grew up in West Columbia, so you can imagine.
One that sticks with me was after the 1975 game where they won 56-20. I was a HS freshman, and wore my orange overalls to school on Monday-tiger rag tied to one of the loops. Many people laughed, but got some high fives and positive comments from people this lowly freshman didn't know. Teachers, that I knew were had no love for Clemson, would nod and say stuff like...good for you.
One teacher that I had that was a vocal gamecock grad asked me during class if I thought that 76 points being scored as the countries bi-centennial (1976) approached held any meaning. I say...yes, it something that'd only happen every 200 years.
She quickly turned back to that day's lesson.
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CU Guru [1159]
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Re: Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 11:18 AM
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Every member of my family are USC Jr fans. As a kid I like to go against the grain let's say. Once I figured out that all of them hated the tigers I was an instant fan. Best memory at a game was early 1998 I believe it was the Furman game. My buddy who played at goose Creek was being recruited so he had free tickets to all of the home games. I went up with him and his older brother and we were massively late. In the haste of getting us checked in they gave us all recruit name tags and treated myself and my buddies brother as if we were all recruits. I was on the field behind the sideline for a good portion of the game, it was awesome.
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Orange Blooded [2342]
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Re: Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 11:28 AM
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Wow. So many that I don’t know were to begin. It would definitely have to be all the cool crisp fall homecomings and freezing our butts off at Tigerama. Fireworks best in the country at the time.
Next would have to be all the trips to Florida with Dad. Especially the long bus ride from Charleston in 81 when the Tigers shocked college football by winning the National Championship.
GO TIGERS!!!!!
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Trainer [38]
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Re: Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 11:58 AM
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Post WWII many SC vets, and SC farmers, were bused into Clemson for educational opportunities. My Grandfather was amongst them. Evidently that made such a great impression on him he became a massive Clemson supporter.
So I grew up listening to games on the radio, or if lucky enough, watching them on TV. I was only 5 during the 81 season run, but clearly remember my Grandpa and Grandma's excitement. That Christmas was extremely special.
While we never had the money to go to any games at home, I was lucky enough to attend a game against Furman (I grew up in Lyman). OMG i was in awe the whole time watching my Tigers play.
Still got my old Southern Bell Clemson phone, rusty old vintage 80s trash can, and many other classics (81 coke bottle), etc...
Graduated in 99 and have a photo of my Grandpa, Grandma, and me (holding my 1yr daughter who was born at Oconee general). My Grandma passed a yr later, but I know she died very proud of me being a Clemson alum.
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Orange Blooded [4304]
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best childhood memory as a Tiger fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 12:17 PM
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asking Woody Dantzler if he was excited to play on the blue field in the Humanitarian bowl as he was getting ready to carry the olympic torch through downtown Clemson
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Orange Blooded [4304]
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best game ... GaTech first ESPN Gameday***
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Jan 21, 2024, 12:19 PM
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Orange Blooded [4304]
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Orange Blooded [3110]
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Re: Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 1:08 PM
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I remember one time when I was about 10 years old, sitting on the hill with my older siblings. These were during the Tommy West years. Every game was a struggle, but I absolutely LOVED and still Love Clemson more than any other program at any level.
Anyway, we were in a close game with unc and a kid my age ran over to the hill and started taunting me when unc took the lead. He was yelling, pointing his finger in my face, pushed me, and was taking it way over the line. His parents were about 15 yards past him in the Northeast corner of the stadium and laughing. I didn’t say anything back to him, but once he got close enough I gave him a right hook to the jaw. The shock on both his parents, and my older siblings’ faces was like a deer in headlights. My sister (the eldest who was enrolling in Clemson the following fall) scooped me up and ran with me back to our parents. My mom was not very happy about it, but my dad tried to hide a smile as hard as he could after my brother and sister told him how much I put up with before delivering a perfect Tyson-esque hook to the boy’s jaw. I got scolded, but the kid had it coming and boys will be boys.
All in all, Go Tigers.
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110%er [6898]
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Games werent on tv like now, so listening to JP with
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Jan 21, 2024, 2:01 PM
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the play by play, especially road games.
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CU Guru [1064]
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Re: Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 2:06 PM
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Getting off I-85 in Anderson and seeing those Tiger Paws. Looked like they were 50 yards wide and tall!
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Legend [19715]
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Stripped down at a game to my underwear
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Jan 21, 2024, 2:17 PM
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It was miserable hot in Death Valley and I guess I was about two years old and my grandmother stripped me down. For decades my Dad teased me about being the only guy to watch a game in his underwear. 😉
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Team Captain [496]
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Re: Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 2:25 PM
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My earliest memories were of the adults standing around talking about yet another close football loss at Georgia Tech.
We lived in Shannon (GA) at the time … I was seven or so. In those same years we would on occasion be at Clemson (Dad - Class of 1944) for the amazing ice cream … when it was served not far down the hill (west) from Tillman Hall.
My first “real time”experience was the 1962 ACC basketball tournament semifinal win over Duke … on radio … awesome.
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Legend [17681]
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Re: Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 2:36 PM
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Grew up in Ft Mill. During HS, Rusty Adkins was my neighbor. From the 10th grade on all he talked about was Clemson. Wound up being a pretty good BB player for the Tigers. Got out of HS and married a Tiger fanatic from Rock Hill, over 50 years later and he still is a Tiger. Me? More of a cooking show girl.
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110%er [7114]
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I also remember listening to games on the radio with my dad...
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Jan 21, 2024, 5:43 PM
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in the 70's, and occasionally going to a game with him and my little brother. If we went to the game it was tradition to get lunch at the Hardee's on 93 just up from Esso. I remember sitting in the WEZ bleachers watching Bennie Cunningham catch passes for the Tigers. We lost that game, but it was still a good time, and great memories.
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All-Conference [406]
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Re: Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 8:24 PM
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My dad played for Howard ‘47-‘51 so I started early. We lived in Florence so didn’t get to go to games often. We did have Howard’s TV show locally though so got to watch that every Sunday after church. When we did go to games always got to go in the locker room (basement of Fike) before and after games. Got lots of souvenirs like chin straps & practice jerseys. Saw a Maryland game from the sidelines one season, I was probably 12. Finished in ‘75 with BS & MS degrees.
A Tiger from day one and proud of it.
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Orange Blooded [2595]
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Re: Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 21, 2024, 11:21 PM
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I loved going to Tigerama in the stadium back in the day. The fireworks show was great. I went to Tigerama in Littlejohn when my daughter was a student in 2010 and it just isn’t as good as before. I also remember listening to Leonard’s losers on the radio when we were driving to the games. It was iconic. So many great memories when I was a kid!
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All-American [552]
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Re: Your childhood tales of growing up a Clemson fan
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Jan 22, 2024, 6:36 AM
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Started sitting on Hill by myself at 10. Met a lot of friends and grew up on the Hill. My how things have changed. I’m 81 and still love my Tigers
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Replies: 27
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