Al Clemens

Albert Hobson "Silent Al" Clemens (November 1, 1898 – May 19, 1993) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach and college athletics administrator.

Al Clemens
Biographical details
Born(1898-11-01)November 1, 1898
Scottsboro, Alabama
DiedMay 19, 1993(1993-05-19) (aged 94)
Hollywood, Florida
Playing career
Football
1920–1923Alabama
Position(s)End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1924–1925Huntsville JC
1926–1928Jacksonville State
1930–1931Tuscaloosa HS (AL)
c. 1934–1942Vicksburg Central HS (MS)
1946–1950Southwestern (TN)
Basketball
1927–1928Jacksonville State
Baseball
1927–1928Jacksonville State
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1926–1928Southwestern (TN)
1942–1950Jacksonville State
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
2× All-Southern (1920, 1923)

Playing career

Clemens played football, basketball, and baseball at the University of Alabama. He also threw the javelin on the track team.[1]

Football

Clemens was a prominent end for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. He was captain of the 1921 team under Xen C. Scott and again captain of the 1923 team—the first season under Wallace Wade.[2]

1920

Clemens was chosen All-Southern in 1920 by various selectors.[3]

1921

Clemens was one of only two returning starters in 1921, serving as captain.[4]

1922

Clemens played during one of Alabama's first great victories in 1922, over Penn.[1]

1923

In Wallace Wade's first season as head coach and Clemens' second as captain he was again selected All-Southern.[5]

Coaching career

Huntsville Junior College

Out of university he coached for Huntsville Junior College.[6]

Jacksonville State Teachers College

Before 1930, Clemens was coach and athletic director at the Jacksonville State Teachers College in Jacksonville, Alabama.[7] He boldly scheduled Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association elevens, and only ever lost two games to junior colleges.[8] Across all sports he won 7 junior college titles in 3 seasons.

Tuscaloosa High

Clemens was head coach and athletic director of the Tuscaloosa High School Black Bears.[9] He took the position in 1930.[10] After 1931 the team had been unbeaten for seven years (63 games). Coach Clemens challenged any high school in the nation to a game.[11]

Vicksburg Central High

He was head coach and athletic director at Vicksburg's Carr Central High "where his teams were the terror of the Big Eight Conference."[6] Clemens resigned to take the job at Southwestern.[12] He was replaced by former Mississippi State football player Gene Chadwick.[13]

Southwestern

Clemens was coach and athletic director at Southwestern Presbyterian University—now known as Rhodes College—from 1942 to 1950.[6][14] Eight of his basketball players organized a strike against him in 1950.[15]

References
  1. "Albert Clemens". Archived from the original on September 9, 2006. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
  2. "1921". Archived from the original on January 3, 2012. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
  3. "All-Southern Elevens". Spalding Football Guide. Shawnee Mission, Kansas, NCAA Publishing Service. 1920. pp. 41, 69, 27, 67.
  4. "Crimson of Alabama Faces Ruin With Loss of All Grid Prestige". Atlanta Constitution. September 12, 1921. p. 9. Retrieved March 13, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "All Star Eleven To Be Awarded By Atlanta Paper". Times-Picayune. December 9, 1923.
  6. "Clemens Resigns As Athletic Director Effective July 1" (PDF). The Sou'wester. May 5, 1951.
  7. "President C. W. Daugette Expects to Name Clemens' Successor Soon". The Anniston Star. May 30, 1930.
  8. "Al Clemens, Coaches 7 Champions In 3 Years". The Tuscaloosa News. June 15, 1930.
  9. "Exchange Club Hears Coaches Talk Football". The Tuscaloosa News. September 5, 1930.
  10. "The Dynasties... Tuscaloosa Black Bears 1925-1931". Retrieved February 23, 2015.
  11. "Unbeaten High School Issues General Defi". The Independent Record. November 22, 1931. p. 8. Retrieved March 13, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Clemens Resigns At Vicksburg For Southwestern Job". The Delta Democrat Times. October 22, 1942. p. 8. Retrieved March 13, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Gene Chadwick Named Coach At Vicksburg High". The Delta Democrat Times. January 31, 1943. p. 7. Retrieved March 13, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "[No title]". The Delta Democrat Times. December 9, 1942. p. 6. Retrieved March 13, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Cite uses generic title (help)
  15. "8 Lynx Cagers Strike Against Coach Al Clemens". The Delta Democrat Times. December 12, 1950. p. 6. Retrieved March 13, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
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