Clemson book review: “Red - Beyond Football”

By Marc Hudgens  |   Thursday, February 21, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

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The middle 1970s were a turbulent time for Clemson. After the basketball fiasco that led to the departures of head coach Tates Locke and freshman phenom Skip Wise, a plasma-hot controversy ensued that involved the mysterious and abrupt firing of football coach Jimmy "Red" Parker. Depending on whom you asked back then, you could get any number of reasons for the termination. All the while, for the sake of his players, Parker remained silent.

Thirty-plus years later, author Mary Magee connected with Parker and produced a biography of the fiery, red-headed coach of which his nickname is based. The book, titled "RED - Beyond Football: The Legacy of Coach Jimmy 'Red' Parker," not only delves into backstabbing that was rampant in Tigertown in late 1976, but also gives us Parker's entire life.

It all began for the coach during the third phase of the Great Depression, a time when the south was widely perceived by other parts of the country as being rife with hookworm and illiteracy. In contrast to that belief, not only was Parker a very intelligent and entrepreneurial youngster, he proved to be a survivor as he overcame not only the poor, agrarian surroundings of Arkansas but also a traumatic experience just before his graduation from Rison (Arkansas) High School, where he played halfback for the Rison Wildcats.

Although his passion was baseball, of which he played semi-pro, he forged a very successful football coaching career heading up Fordyce (Arkansas) High School and then Arkansas A&M, where both schools under Parker won championship after championship and Parker himself received Coach of the Year awards. Riding the waves of those successes, he and his family headed east toward Charleston, S.C., where he would become The Citadel's head coach from 1966-72, then to Clemson from 1973-76, his last excursion in major college football.

Though Parker's record at Clemson was not good for the most part (17-25-2), he was -- and still is -- highly regarded by former players and fans alike for infusing an enthusiasm and fire that was absent during the previous coaching administration under Hootie Ingram. But the fire began flickering away when Parker hired Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Charley Pell, whom Paul "Bear" Bryant and Hokie head coach Jimmy Sharpe warned Parker not to hire because of his use of deceit. Parker admitted in this book that arrogance kept him from listening to the sound advice, and the Pell hire began Parker's undoing almost immediately.

After Clemson, Parker and his family moved back to Arkansas, where he purchased a car dealership and abstained from football altogether for three years. Parker then returned to his beloved profession, assisting or head coaching several other teams, including Vanderbilt, Southern Arkansas, Delta State, Ole Miss, Rison High School and back to Fordyce in 2003. As of this writing, Parker had recently sold his car dealership, Red Parker Chevrolet-Olds, and still lives with his wife, Betty, in Fordyce. Betty has contracted some health issues and the coach has stayed close to home because of her condition. However, given Parker's love of the game, don't be surprised if he returns to football in some capacity. After all, it was Betty who encouraged him to get back in the game after the Clemson fiasco to begin with.

Magee's book chronicles Parker's life against the backdrop of national or world events, such as the Great Depression, wars, the hippie generation of the 1960s, and so forth. That is especially interesting in Parker's Citadel experience considering he was part of a traditional, old-south military institution during the social changes and anti-Vietnam War movement during the late '60s. The book's chapters are also grouped according to his coaching experiences with each section ending with old photos, many of which were supplied by the coach. The very last chapter, titled "IN HIS OWN WORDS," was written entirely by Parker to clear the air regarding the 1976 season "rather than to have others talk about it." An excerpt of that tell-all chapter is below ...

"There had been some talk during the season that one of our staff members told certain of our team members that another coach made disparaging remarks about them. Although I know this to be true, it was hard to get a handle on quietly. Also, my daughter Cindy lived at Clemson House and she asked me several times why one of our coaches met with two members of the Board of Trustees each Sunday morning after Saturday home games. This became more troubling when it became obvious the same two trustees were after me."

For more information on Parker's biography, the author or to purchase a copy, feel free to visit the author's Web site, www.marymagee.net.
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About Marc Hudgens

Marc Hudgens has been with RealFootball365 since 2007, covering college football, specifically Clemson and Oregon. He also writes for SouthernPigskin.com covering the ACC. He enjoys the acidic wit of Hunter S. Thompson, is a freelance graphic designer and has written several screenplays. He ...
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