The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-11
TIGERS PROPOSED
RAISE IN SALARY
Tiger Coach Tenders Resigna-
ton After Return From
Texas; Salary Not Named

CLEMSON, S. c., Jan. 1o-R-
Jess Nicely resigned today as athletic
director at Clemson college and then
ltelephoned officials at Rice institute
he would accept the head football
coaching job there.
Nicely, 1.-THE, 42-year-old native OF
Smyrna, Tenn, had his best coach
ing year in 1899, losing only to Tu'
lane, s to Z. He topped off the per
Torrance when his Tiger football
club defeated Boston college 6'3 In
the Cotton Bowl game at Dallas.
Tex.
Shortly after Nicely returned to-
day from Houston, Tex, where he
conferred yesterday with Rice of
ficials, he handed his resignation to
DR.. Lee w. Milford, chairman oil
the Clemson athletic council.
Milford authorized this statement
I'VE regret Coach Neely's resigna
ton a great deal and wish him the
best of success with his teams al
Rice institute. We accept the re
signation with the satisfaction Of
knowing that the athletic council
board of trustees and Clemson
alumni made every reasonable eff
fort to keep Nicely with us here at
Clemson.
"The board Of trustees yesterday
authorized the athletic council te
award Coach Nicely a personal bonus
of $4,000 for the year 1899 and a
81, 900 bonus to be devided among
his assistant coaches. In addition
to this the board authorized the ath'
letic council to negotiate with Coach
Nicely on the basis of an So, 900 year
contract and $4,000 a year in raises
to be distributed among the assist
ants"
Milford said the council would
meet in an emergency session to-
morrow to consider a successor tt
Nicely, who came to Clemson in Jan
airy 1881 from the University Of
Alabama where he served three
years as assistant to Head Coach
Wallace Wade. Neely's Clemson
team and Wade's Duke eleven last
fall tied for the Southern conference
championship.
At Clemson Nicely was credited
with pulling the Tigers out of a bad
financial hole as well as directing
a long-pull athletic policy that even
tually produced winners after years
of setbacks.
W. D. Barnett, a Clemson trustee
said Nicely earned 500, 900 for Glenn
son in his nine years here. Barnett
said Nicely inherited a $4,000 de
ficit, which has been paid. and that
approximately $4,000 vas in the
treasury.
Neely's nine year football record
was 43 victories, IS defeats ant
seven ties. In his first four years
he had lost 81 and won but IL.
He declined to discuss terms Of the
post at Rice and neither would hi
say whether any Of his assistant.
would go with him.
Il certainly hope that Clemson
alumni and friends do not think ]
don't appreciate what has been done
for me here at Clemson" he said
land the splendid gesture made by
the board of trustees at their meet
ing yesterday. I appreciate all O.
it. However, I do not feel that
can remain here in view of the op
portunities presented by the position
at Rice institute"
When he came here. Nicely sue
ceeded Josh Cody, nov at Florida
At Rice he will succeed Jimmy
Kits.
Nicely won fame as a football and
baseball player at Vanderbilt uni
versity 1924. playing under Head
Coach Dan McGugin and Assistant
Coach Wallace Wade. After his
graduation he was head coach at
Southwestern university at Mem.
phis 1924-27. He was assistant base.
ball coach at Princeton in 1928 and
that fall went to Alabama.