May 12, 1999
CLEMSON, S.C. — A record nine Clemson greats will be inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame this September, Tiger Letterman’s Association President Ray Brown announced Wednesday. The class includes former Clemson Head Football Coach Danny Ford, who guided the Tigers to the National Championship in 1981. Three former women athletes are also in the class, the largest number of female inductees in one year in the history of the Hall of Fame, which dates to 1973.
The group also includes former basketball All-American Horace Grant, still a starting forward with the Orlando Magic, and former two-position All-ACC baseball player Jimmy Key. Those two athletes have gone on to collect five world championship rings in their respective sports. Grant won three world championships with the Chicago Bulls and Key won World Series crowns with the Toronto Bluejays and the New York Yankees.
Former football players Bubba Brown, Clemson’s all-time leading tackler, and John Phillips, a two-time All-America lineman, are also in the group. Mark Dickson, the national senior player of the year in college tennis in 1982, is also a member of the 1999 Clemson Hall of Fame class.
Former Lady Tigers in the group are Janet Knight Linder, Janet Ellison McDonnell and Dr. Denise Murphy Stadelmaier. Knight is still second on Clemson’s all-time basketball scoring list and was an All-American as a senior. (1985). Ellison was Clemson’s first female All-American in any sport. She was a five-time swimming All-American in 1978. Murphy was a two-time academic All-American in volleyball and won the Marie James Postgraduate Scholarhsip as the ACC’s top female student-athlete.
The class will be honored on September 10 with a dinner followed by ceremonies at halftime of the Clemson vs. Virginia football game at Death Valley on September 11th.
DENISE MURPHY, Volleyball, 1983-86Two-time Academic All-American, only female two-time selection in Clemson sports history.First-team All-ACC in 1985 and 1986.Team MVP in 1985 and 1986 when she took Tigers to a pair of 20 win seasons.Set Clemson record in kills and defensive saves at the time of her graduation.Won Marie James Postgraduate scholarship as the ACC’s top female student-athlete.
JANET ELLISON, Swimming, 1977-80
Ellison was the first female All-American in Clemson historyFive-time All-American in 1978 Ellison was an All-American in the200 Breaststroke, 100 Breaststroke, 50 Breaststroke, 200 MedleyRelay, and the 100 IM
In 1979, Ellison was an All-American in the 50 Breaststroke
JANET KNIGHT, Basketball, 1982-86
Clemson’s second all-time career scorer with 1,795. Third onthe Lady Tiger career list for best field goal percentage with.525. Second on the Clemson career list for best free throwpercentage with a .812 mark, (333-410). Led Clemson in free throwpercentage all four years of her career. A third-team All-Americanin 1985
First-Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference in 1985, 2nd team in 1984.
DANNY FORD, Football, 1979-89
Coached Clemson to the 1981 National Championship, Clemson’sonly National Championship in football and the first nationalchampionship in any sport in Clemson history. National Coach of theYear in 1981. At 33, the youngest coach in history to win theNational Championship. Coached in eight bowl games in his 11 yearsand gained six victories. Had 96-29-4 record at Clemson, highestwinning percentage (.760) in Clemson history given a minimum offive years as coach. Has more top 20 victories (41) than any coachin Clemson history. Captured five ACC Championships as head coach.Clemson finished ranked in the final AP top 20 in seven of his 11seasons.
Twenty-one of his players were All-Americans and 41 went on to play in the NFL.
JOHN PHILLIPS, Football, 1984-87
Two-time All-America offensive guard, first-team as a juniorand second-team as a senior. Two-time All-ACC performer andtwo-time winner of the state Jacobs Blocking Trophy. Set a singleseason record with 103 knockdown blocks in 1987, he had 100 in1986. Concluded his career with 245 knockdown blocks. Started 32games and played in 47 in his career. Co-Captain of Clemson’s 10-21987 team that won the Citrus Bowl with 35-10 win over Penn State.
Named to Clemson Centennial Team in 1996
BUBBA BROWN, Football, 1976-79
Clemson’s all-time leading tackler with 515 stops, a recordthat has stood for 20 years. Record has stood even though Clemsonhas had 11 linebackers since Brown finished playing who have goneon to the NFL. Chosen as starting linebacker on Clemson’sCentennial Team First-team All-ACC in 1978 and 1979. Played inthree bowl games, he had 22 tackles against Ohio State in Clemson’sGator Bowl victory in 1978. Started 42 games, a record for aClemson linebacker, he had 24 games of double figures in tackles.
Top tackler on Clemson team in 1978 and 1979, he had 320 in the two seasons combined.
MARK DICKSON, Tennis, 1979-82
1982 ITCA Senior Player-of-the-Year 1980 All-American, singles1981 All-American, singles and doubles 1982 All-American, singlesSixth on the Clemson career list for most wins in singles play with128 victories Tenth on the Clemson career list for best winningpct. in singles play with a .753 figure Second on the school’srecord list for best set winning pct. with a .815 mark as he won 88of 108 sets played in 1980
Played professionally for many years, once reached final eight of US Open.
JIMMY KEY, Baseball, 1980-82
Only baseball player in Clemson history to be first-teamAll-ACC at two positions in the same year. First-team All-ACC aspitcher and DH in 1982. Established school record for doubles withACC best 21 in 1982, he also led the team in batting with .359average. On the mount tied for the ACC lead in wins with nine thatsame season. Led the team in strikeouts with 94 and ERA with a 2.79figure. Starter as freshman on Clemson’s 1980 College World Seriesteam. Went on to 16-year career in the Majors. Only former Clemsonplayer to play on two World Series Championship teams, 1992 Torontoand 1996 Yankees.
Played in two Major League All-Star Games.
HORACE GRANT, Basketball, 1983-87
First and still only Clemson player chosen ACC BasketballPlayer of the Year. First and one of just two players in ACChistory to win the statistical triple crown. Led the league inscoring, rebounding and field goal percentage in 1986-87 when heled Clemson to a 25-6 record, still the Clemson record for wins ina season. Second-team AP and UPI All-American, the highestAll-America team for a Clemson basketball player. Named SouthCarolina’s Athlete of the Year in 1987. Tenth pick of the 1987 NBAdraft, he has been on three NBA World Championship teams with theChicago Bulls. Four time selection to NBA All-Defensive team.
Played in the 1994 NBA All-Star game.
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