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Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963
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Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963


Nov 16, 2018, 8:32 AM

(Many facts from Tim Bourret & Fred Hoover)

Likely not many of you were around on a Friday (Nov. 22, 1963 - 55 years ago next week) when JFK was killed. I was, & here's what happened - and DIDN'T happen:

The Clemson/SC games were still ALL played in Columbia. Friday afternoon, Coach Frank Howard loaded the Tigers on buses to head to a hotel in Batesburg to take on SC the next day. No "I-26" then, so the trip took 3 to 4 hours. No cell phones - no bus radio, but in a town or two, coaches & players saw flags on some buildings flying at half-staff. NOT normal.

When they got to the hotel at 3pm, they were told President JFK had been shot & killed. They were shocked & stunned. A practice had been planned at a nearby h.school, so they decided they would go there. There was no word whether Saturday's game WOULD be played, and the practice was - not very focused.

After practice, back to the hotel for dinner & watch TV coverage on the assassination. Still no word on the game Saturday - scheduled for TV on CBS - only the 2nd regular season TV game EVER for Clemson. Each team would get $53,000 - IF played.

NCST & Wake were to play that Friday night, and they did. By 9:30pm, Coach Howard got a call from Clemson Pres. Bob Edwards who said the Tiger/SC game would be postponed until Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, '63. No TV either, because the NFL had priority (Lions & Packers - they tied @ 13).

So, with no Saturday game on the 23rd, the Tigers decided to leave that night & head back to Clemson.

The game WAS played the next week, Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1963. Clemson beat SC - 24-20.

The next time most games were cancelled around America was the weekend following Sept. 11, 2001.

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Re: Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963


Nov 16, 2018, 8:53 AM

I was in Tiger Band in 2001 and saw first hand the aftermath of the Pentagon during the Maryland game trip.

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Re: Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963


Nov 16, 2018, 10:04 AM

It was a very different world back then. Thanks for sharing this.

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Re: Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963


Nov 16, 2018, 10:11 AM

USC began playing home-and-home with Clemson in 1960

Clemson won 12-2.


The 63 game was simply postponed due to the assassination.



I was quite alive then too.

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Re: Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963


Nov 16, 2018, 3:59 PM

There might not be as many of us left who experienced the shock of that whole weekend. I can remember it in a very detailed way & it was a very intense, early test for a fairly young medium - TV. Ruby shooting Oswald live on TV that Sunday was SURREAL!! Our family had taken a break in the kitchen; my brother was the only one still watching & came in yelling - "Somebody just shot Oswald!" It was replayed over & over. Many claim that's when "instant replay" was born.

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Re: Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963


Nov 16, 2018, 11:04 AM [ in reply to Re: Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963 ]

it was a very different world back then,was sitting in my high school library gossiping with friends,and the news came over the pa system.early dismissal and Monday off as well.saw lee Harvey assassinated in real time.america's naïve innocence ended during those 4 days.reality has slapped us in the face ever since.

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null


Re: Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963


Nov 16, 2018, 10:22 AM

Our home-and-home series HAD already begun with Carolina. The last in the series when the games were always played in Columbia was 1959. The first game at Clemson was 1960.

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Re: Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963


Nov 16, 2018, 3:47 PM

Could be you're right on the home & home. Got my facts from a couple of "master's" though - Tim Bourret & long-time trainer Fred Hoover. Maybe they were off 2 or 3 years. Tim's usually right 99+% of the time. I'll look for more evidence. Thanks for the heads up!

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Re: Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963


Nov 16, 2018, 4:40 PM

Horst is correct.

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Re: Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963


Nov 16, 2018, 10:22 AM

Your second paragraph is wrong! The last "Big Thursday" was in '57(Maybe '59) but were alternating after that.

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59***


Nov 16, 2018, 10:28 AM



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Re: Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963


Nov 16, 2018, 10:34 AM

I was 5.75 years away from being a planetary resident , so this bit of historical information was unknown to me as far as the Clemson/SC game .
Pretty darn interesting , thanks for the poast !

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DB23


Re: Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963


Nov 16, 2018, 10:46 AM

We played USC during the State Fair on a Thursday in October through 1959.

It was then moved to the final game of the season as a home and home thingy.

I attended the last 4 "Big Thursday" games.

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More Research on Big Thursday and It's End


Nov 16, 2018, 4:29 PM

In talking about the JFK assassination on Nov 22, '63 & the game being cancelled the next day, Sat. Nov 23, many have said I incorrectly stated the all-Columbia/SC State Fair "Big Thursday" games were still occurring at that time.

You're right - I was wrong - but my info had come from Tim Bourret and/or Fred Hoover. Maybe one or both were misquoted.

But yes, the Clemson/SC game was "home & home" starting in 1960.

Thanks for the correction!

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The JFK shooting hppened while we were driving down


Nov 16, 2018, 3:56 PM

to Columbia from Clemson ... my grandmother told us when we arrived.

We stayed the night and came back home because they delayed the game.

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Re: Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963


Nov 16, 2018, 7:50 PM

Games began alternating in 1960. I-26 was in existence then because I drove to that game on I-26 on Friday, Nov 22, 1963 from Clemson. It was my senior year. And what hotel in Batesburg? To my knowledge there were no hotels in Batesburg then.

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Re: Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963


Nov 16, 2018, 8:11 PM

You can read the article on it by going to clemsontigers.com. Written by Tim Bourret & Sam Blackman. Most of the quotes/accounts came from former Head Trainer, Fred Hoover. Whether all of Mr. Hoover's memories are correct, I don't know. Maybe, for some reason, Coach Howard didn't want to travel I-26? Check out the article - clemsontigers.com.

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Re: Historic: Tigers/SC - JFK - Nov. 22, 1963


Nov 16, 2018, 10:53 PM

I was there. 10 years old. I had endured the coverage, the Naval Hymn etched into my mind. John Jr. saluting and Jackie in a mourning veil with a wild lost look in her eyes. Came home from church to watch Oswald assasinated, not clear why. My Mom crying, Dad watching the TV with an empty stare.

My Dad had gotten tickets, no idea when he got them, maybe before they postponed. Carolina and Clemson Bands playing the Naval Hymn at the game. Carolina went up early, Clemson came back in the second half. It was a sunsplashed game, if not for the heaviness of the day, it would have been a perfect day for a football, and a good close game. At the time I was not I had not developed much of a preference between the teams, as I had been to some Clemson games and liked Clemson but Dad had played freshman ball for Carolina. I think it was my first Carolina Clemson game. Not true they were all played in Cola at the time, 60 and 62 had been a Clemson.

Dark time. Had to wonder how such a thing could happen.It had happened before. 1865. 1945 when FDR, the first or second best Pres we ever had, who had led us out of depression and through World War, was not able to get through to the end. McKinnley. Garfield. Good ones seem to die early, and he bad ones stick around. Attempts at Ford and Reagan. We got through it, we will get through it, but assasinations don't need to happen so much.

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