Vintage Clemson-Carolina game program covers

"Phil Neel was born in 1927 & grew up in Sumter County in West Alabama - & also served in the navy. Phil worked as a sports artist at the Birmingham Post-Herald for 33 years & at the Birmingham News for one year; he also did freelance work for schools all over the Southeast. He continued his artwork after retiring from his newspaper career.

Phil Neel created Aubie, who first appeared on the Auburn vs. Hardin-Simmons football program cover on October 3, 1959. Aubie continued to appear on the Auburn program covers for 18 years.

Phil Neel passed away on Wednesday July 25, 2012 at the age of 84 after a long battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma."

So, apparently we were just one of the schools he did freelance work for. I would like to see a side by side comparison of his Aubie, and his Clemson Tiger. Were there any differences? His first Auburn cover was in 1959, I wonder when was his first Clemson cover, since this one posted is 1960.

hartins®

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The 1968 program was during my senior year, and

Nov 23, 2018, 6:26 AM

those old publications were keepsakes for many folks due mainly to the covers.

Although I never met the artist, most of us assumed he was a local Clemson alumnus or fan. For you younger folks in those days students and fans usually "dressed" for the games with many men wearing neckties and the Ladies in dresses with handbags, low heels and some hats. It was more of a classy social affair and was followed in the evenings with dances in the cafeteria.

When my parents attended their first game during my freshman year, my Dad wore a business suit, long sleeved white shirt, necktie and a dress, brimmed hat. My Mother wore a two piece dress suit, hat, gloves and high heeled shoes. It was early in the season, still hot as he1l...And neither broke a sweat! (lol) Dean Walter Cox had given me the tickets for them gratis, and they sat just below the President's Box. Longtime S.C. politician Fritz Hollings was a guest of President and Mrs. Edwards that day, and after the game, my Mother said, "I couldn't believe how loud he was hollering. Didn't he realize he was at a college football game?" My Dad even laughed at those remarks!