Remembering the "Tiger Beaters"
Alum recalls PC's last win against Clemson

September 7, 2010

Blue Hose faithful are eagerly anticipating returning to Death Valley to face Clemson again.

“It is a tremendous opportunity for our program during our transition to Division I to get to go play at Clemson,” PC coach Harold Nichols said. “We will have a well-prepared team going into the game and will put a product on the field that PC fans, students, and alumni can be proud of."

The September 11 matchup comes nearly 67 years after PC defeated Clemson in 1943. Mike Turner ’48, called “Mickie” back then, played guard on the team and recently shared his recollections of the game.

“It was the first college football game I ever played,” Turner said. “And they call us the ‘Tiger Beaters’ because we beat Clemson that year.”

Beating Clemson was a big deal: Clemson had won nine consecutive games against PC when the two teams played at Clemson in ’43. The Tigers and Blue Hose played each other nearly every year since 1917. Clemson dominated the series with a record of 17-2-4.

But, in ’43, PC had more returning starters than Clemson. Led by Coach Lonnie MacMillan, PC boasted eight returning players, five of them lettermen. Clemson, coached by Frank Howard, was greatly affected by the war and had only one returning player.

Plus, the Blue Hose were bigger end-to-end, a factor taken into consideration when predicting football games. PC weighed in at an average of 190 pounds compared to Clemson’s 177. In fact, one newspaper predicted, “Clemson Set for Drubbing: Light, green squad scheduled to face tough opponents.”

Predictions aside, the game was a back-and-forth struggle and close throughout. The Blue Hose and Tigers fought to a scoreless first quarter. Then, Clemson began the scoring with a 15-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The extra point failed.

Trailing 6-0 late in the first half, the Blue Hose answered quickly with a 44-yard pass from senior quarterback Frank Inman (Augusta, Ga.) to senior end Richard Kaleel (Clinton, NC). The extra point failed, and the Blue Hose and Tigers went into halftime tied 6-6.

Turner said the entire team was so exhausted from playing both ways in the heat that they just lay down during halftime to get ready for the second half.

“It was one of the most grueling things I have ever had to do in my life,” Turner said. “Down in that bowl in Clemson it got to 110 degrees. So fearfully hot.”

In the middle of the third quarter, Clemson drove to PC’s 23-yard line but fumbled. When they got the ball, the Blue Hose took the lead when senior quarterback Hank Caver (Augusta, Ga.) threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Jack Adams (Laurens, SC), a senior end. Joney Gilliland, a freshman halfback from Augusta, Ga., made the extra point, and PC led 13-6.

Clemson answered in the fourth quarter with a touchdown run, but missed the extra point. While both teams moved the ball later in the game, no one else scored. The final score was PC 13, Clemson 12.

“After the game the seniors were jumping up and down and hugging each other,” Turner said. “I didn’t know we weren’t supposed to beat them.”

PC and Clemson played every year from 1943 to 1957. The Tigers won the other games and currently hold the all-time series advantage at 32-3-4.

posted by Stacy Dyer '96
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