Re: Whatever happened to former Clemson BB HC Tates Locke?

Oculus Spirit [78725]

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Here's a Tates Locke Story for you . . .

Jan 24, 2019, 2:11 PM

Late Spring after one of his seasons as our coach, Coach Locke came to Santee to fish with my dad and Harold Boozer. Rockfish were schooling at day break off the Lake Marion Damm. Those three gents left Harold's lake house on Wyboo Creek before daylight and made the short trip to the damm. The "Striper-Swipers" (a granite chugger-type topwater bait that was fished at a rapid pace w/ twitching motions) were already tied on. Dad offered Tates his rod and reel, a new 6' Lew's Speed Stick w/ a polished plastic pistol grip handle and an Abu Garcia 5000C baitcasting reel. On one of Tates' first casts, that smooth polished handle on Dad's reel slipped out of his hand and into the drink it went, sinking rapidly into the 75+ feet deep cold darkness of Lake Marion.

Dad and Harold heard the rod hit the water, followed by Tates as he dove in after it!!! The ripples settled while Dad and Harold frantically looked over the edge into the darkness. My Dad even turned to Harold after "forever" had passed and said, "Dear Lord, Harold we have killed our Coach!" More time passed, the remorsed guides had given up, when a gasping Tates surfaced on the other side of the boat!!!!!!!

Tates treaded water for a few minutes, without anyone saying a word . . . Tates finally broke the silence with, "I might not be the best Coach you'll ever have . . . but I'm still one helluva athlete!" . . . and he raised his submerged hand to hand Dad his rod and reel!!!

I couldn't tell you if they fished anymore or caught anything that Spring morning, but that memory was priceless for Dad and Harold until the day they died!!!

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A Clemson assistant coach had been very successful in recruiting Adrian Dantley. He was leaning toward signing with Clemson. The only thing left was for the head coach to visit the family and conclude the recruitment. The assistant took Tates to Maryland and introduced him to the family. Adrian then said, "Coach, I've heard that you're a pretty tough guy to play for." Tates replied, "Well, would you like to play for George Patton?" That took everybody aback slightly. Adrian then replied, "Well, no Coach. I don't think I'd like that." Tates thanked them for their time, stood up and left the assistant coach to pick up the pieces. Adrian signed with Notre Dame, played for Digger Phelps, was an All American in 75 and 76 and won a gold medal with the US team at the 76 Olympics.

There is also a story that Tates sent Ricky Hunt into a game against Maryland for the express purpose of starting a fight and getting a Maryland player thrown out of a game. It seems that there was a Clemson Maryland game where Ricky got it a fight, but I can't remember the year.

Whatever happened to former Clemson BB HC Tates Locke?