Greenville in Greenville County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Frank Howard
Carolina Legends
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Sports.
Location. 34° 51.133′ N, 82° 23.533′ W. Marker is in Greenville, South Carolina, in Greenville County. Marker can be reached from North Academy Street. Marker is located in the southwest corner of the Bi-Lo Center campus. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 650 North Academy Street, Greenville SC 29601, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 10 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Little Texas (within shouting distance of this marker); "Shoeless" Joe Jackson (within shouting distance of this marker); Greenville Memorial Auditorium (within shouting distance of this marker); Clayton "Peg Leg" Bates (within shouting distance of this marker); Frank Selvy (within shouting distance of this marker); Church Street (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Here Lieth the Body of Sarah M. Crittenden (about 800 feet away); Christ Church (Episcopal) (approx. 0.2 miles away); In 1825 (approx. 0.2 miles away); Kilgore-Lewis House (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Greenville.
Also see . . .
1. Frank Howard, The Legend. An era at Clemson University ended June 30, 1974, when Frank Howard officially retired from the payroll. (Submitted on May 20, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
2. Frank Howard by Paul W. Bryant Museum. Seldom has one man been identified with one school as long as Frank Howard at Clemson. (Submitted on December 6, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
3. 1989 ESPN Character Sketch of Frank Howard. A character sketch of Clemson's Frank Howard from 1989 - from ESPN and Beano Cook. Frank was inducted into the College Football Hall Of Fame that year. (Submitted on May 20, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
4. Frank Howard. Frank J. Howard (March 25, 1909 – January 26, 1996) was an American college football player and coach. (Submitted on May 20, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
5. Gift from Death Valley became "Death Valley" tradition. Ohio State dots the "i." Tennessee runs through the "T." Texas A&M has midnight yell practice. Florida State has Chief Osceola, Renegade and a flaming spear. But few college football traditions generate as much excitement and pageantry as Clemson's players rubbing Howard's Rock and running down the Hill before each home game at Memorial Stadium. (Submitted on December 6, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
6. Memorial Stadium, Clemson. Frank Howard Field at Memorial Stadium, popularly known as Death Valley, is home to the Clemson University Tigers, a NCAA Division I-A football team located in Clemson, South Carolina. Currently, the stadium is the second largest in the Atlantic Coast Conference. (Submitted on May 20, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
7. What Death Valley really sounds like. The first parts are from ABC and their audio is not getting the crowd noise well. The second parts are from the crowd. (Submitted on December 6, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
Additional commentary.
1. Frank Howard - Memorable Quotes
Howard had a way with words. The following are some of his memorable quotes:
"If you're going to give me 110 percent, you can rub my rock. If you're not, keep your filthy hands off of it."
"Virginia? That's the white meat of our schedule."
"I retired for health reasons. The alumni got sick of me."
"I had a lifetime contract, but the administration declared me dead."
"I simply told Jimmy [his son] when he got out of high school I wanted him at a school where he could get a fine education and play for the best coach in the country. So he enrolled at Clemson."
— Submitted May 20, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.
2. Howard's Rock
Located in Memorial Stadium ("Death Valley", Clemson University), the Clemson Tigers run past the Rock and down to the field at the start of each home football game. This event has been described as "the most exciting 25 seconds in college football." The inscription on the rock's base reads:
Death Valley, Ca.
to
Death Valley
Clemson, SC
Presented to
Coach Frank Howard
and the
Clemson Football Team
by
S.C. Jones '19
September 1966.
— Submitted December 6, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.
3. Memorial Stadium ("Death Valley")
Clemson Memorial Stadium opened on September 19, 1942 with the Tiger's 32-13 win over Presbyterian College (PC). Lonnie McMillan, one of PC's coaches, is credited with naming it "Death Valley" for the many years his teams were defeated there. "Howard's Rock" was given to the coach by S.C. Jones, who picked it up in Death Valley, California. The original stadium of 20,000 seats was built with the help of scholarship athletes, including many football players, at a cost of $125,000 or $6.25 per seat. They were rewarded by Coach Howard with 50 gallons of ice cream consumed on the field at completion. Memorial Stadium was built for the future -- additions in 1958, 1960, 1978, and 1983 increased capacity to over 80,000. Cost per seat in 1983 was $866. (Source: Clemson University by Helene M. Riley (2002), pg 96.)
— Submitted December 6, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 13, 2019. It was originally submitted on May 20, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 3,993 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 20, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 4. submitted on December 6, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 5, 6. submitted on July 9, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 7. submitted on December 6, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 8. submitted on July 9, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. submitted on December 6, 2009, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.