Cliff Hare
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Clifford Leroy Hare was a member of Auburn University’s first football team who went on to serve as chair of the Auburn Faculty Athletic Committee. Auburn’s football stadium, Jordan–Hare Stadium, is co-named for the longtime professor and dean of the School of Chemistry. He served as president of the Southern Conference before the formation of the Southeastern Conference.
Clifford Leroy Hare was born in 1869, in what is now known as the Oak Bowery Community just north of Opelika, Alabama. In 1888, Hare began his one-half century relationship with Alabama Polytechnic Institute (API), which eventually became Auburn University.
Deeply involved in academics, athletics and policymaking at API, Cliff Hare’s biggest concern was for the development of the complete man. He strove to see that the young students who entered college there would have the opportunity to develop into well-rounded future citizens of Alabama. He often quoted Shakespeare in his chemistry classes, and he discussed philosophy with students and Auburn townspeople. His philosophy is summed up in an inscription on the Cliff Hare award, “Athletics make men strong, study makes men wise, and character makes men great.” This belief manifested itself in how he approached his personal life. He was involved in teaching, mentoring and enabling well-governed sports events at the university, as well as working to improve his community.