LOOK: Clemson Historic photo #118 'Tailgating at Sirrine Hall'

by Tony Crumpton - Assoc. Editor - Tue Jul 28 09:09:45 GMT-05:00 2020

TigerNet will be posting several historic Clemson photos during this difficult time with no Clemson sports.

Long-time TigerNet member Mintaka® submitted many of the photos, and we appreciate him being part of the TigerNet family.

Mintaka's take: Everyone's experience in tailgating is different. Looking back, mine was a little different than most. You see, my father worked in the textile industry and spent every home game entertaining textile executives from various mills in the southeast. He would provide the food, drinks and tickets, all they had to do was just show up.

Since he worked in textiles, my father always parked behind Sirrine Hall for all the home games. In those days the games always started at 1PM and we would arrive behind Sirrine around 9AM to set up the tailgate. Our tailgate spot is long gone because the Hunter Chemistry Laboratory was built on the spot that was once filled with old oak trees.

Sirrine was always open on Saturdays so that the tailgaters could use the rest rooms. To me, as a kid, it was more than a building with rest rooms. It was a huge old building full of wondrous machinery to explore. Floors and floors of all kind strange textile machinery that a boy had never seen.

Many days, while waiting on the games to start, I would spend hours looking around that old building. It's funny, every time I think about the old days of Clemson Football, I can't help but to also think of the hours I spent in Sirrine Hall.

Sirrine Hall was built in 1938 and renovated in 1978. Below is a photo of the ground breaking to build Sirrine Hall about the time my father spent his senior year at Clemson. Good ole Sirrine Hall, it provided me hours of entertainment before and after Clemson football games in the 60s and 70s.

And yes, I even had a class in Sirrine Hall in the 80s. One of my favorite buildings on campus.

Feel free to share your thoughts that come to mind about our latest historical photos. Hopefully, everyone will enjoy looking back over the years at Clemson.