The News Argus Page 7
SPORTS
Coach Gaines Will Retire After 47 Years
Office of Public Affairs Release
Winston-Salem State University
Coach Clarence Edward
“Bighouse” Gaines announced on
February 18th his retirement as
professor of physical education and
head basketball coach at Winston-
Salem University effective June 30,
1993.
The announcement ends a 47-
year career in which he also served
as department chairman and athletic
director and garnered more than 825
coaching victories, making him the
nation’s winningest active college
basketball coach.
Coach Gaines came to WSSU in
1945 after graduating from Morgan
State University in Baltimore,
Maryland. He later earned a M.A.
from Columbia University in New
York City.
The legendary coach has been
honored on numerous occasions for
contributions ot his own profession.
He has been elected to several sports
halls of fame, including the Naismith
Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
and the National Association for
Former Quarterback To
Head Football Team
By KELLEY GOODMAN
Sports Editor
Kermit Blount has returned to
his alma mater to take over head
football coaching responsibilities.
He was selected in December to fill
the position vacated by former
Head Coach Pete Richardson.
Blount was the search
committee's choice because of his
ability to help the student/athletes
do their best in four areas;
academics, discipline, financial
responsibility and football.
Blount, a 1980 WSSU graduate,
was a four year Ram starter, who
quarterbacked the Rams to a 33-11
record during his college career.
The “Field General” capped off
winning seasons of 10-1 and 11-1 in
1977 and 1978 which were the
teams first back-to-back
championship seasons before
repeating it in 1990 and 1991.
Skilled not only at playing the
game, Blount has been equally
successful as a coach. Prior to
assuming the position at WSSU he
was the offensive coordinator at
South Carolina State University
from 1989-93 and was a coaching
assistant at Howard University and
East Carolina University.
Many Ram fans became very
optimistic about the team’s future
performance when the NCAA
handed down sanctions to
WSSU's Athletic program. Two of
the directives received by the
university included: (a) Elimination
of post-season competition in
football for the 1993 season; and (b)
Establishment of an educational
program to instruct all persons
involved in the athletics program on
NCAA legislation.
Blount said that he would have
taken the position even if he had
known about the specific sanctions
before he was offered the position.
He has a very positive attitude
which makes several of the
football players feel that his youth
and new ideas will benefit the
program and keep the Rams the
number one contender in the
Southern Division of the CIAA next
season.
The News Argus Sports Staff
would like to welcome the new head
coach home.
Sport and Physical Education.
WSSU Chancellor Cleon F.
Thompson, Jr., also announced that
he will nominate Gaines for
Professor Emeritus in recognition of
his-nearly half century of distinguish
service to the university. The
distinction honors retired faculty for
teaching excellence, performance of
administrative duties, general
university service, community
service and personal qualifications.
He is married to Clara Berry
Gaines and has two adult children.
Coach ‘Bighouse’ Gaines
CONGRATULATIONS- WSNC-FM 90.5
CONGRATULATIONS
Kendra Horne
All CIAA TEAM
Third in Conference
in Scoring
&
Shondra McSwain
ALL CIAA ROOKIE TEAM
&
William Gray
CIAA 3-point
Shootout Champion