Walter Riggs
Encyclopedia
Walter Merritt Riggs was the president of Clemson University
from 1910 to 1924 and the "father of Clemson football" coaching the first football
team for what was then Clemson College. Riggs graduated from Auburn University
with a bachelor's of science in engineering in 1892 and was a member of Auburn's first football team. He was also president of his class, director of the glee club
, and a member of Phi Delta Theta
fraternity while at Auburn.
Riggs Hall, which is the home of Clemson's College of Engineering and Science, is named in his honor.
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
from 1910 to 1924 and the "father of Clemson football" coaching the first football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team for what was then Clemson College. Riggs graduated from Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
with a bachelor's of science in engineering in 1892 and was a member of Auburn's first football team. He was also president of his class, director of the glee club
Glee club
A glee club is a musical group or choir group, historically of male voices but also of female or mixed voices, which traditionally specializes in the singing of short songs—glees—by trios or quartets. In the late 19th Century it was very popular in most schools and was made a tradition...
, and a member of Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
fraternity while at Auburn.
Riggs Hall, which is the home of Clemson's College of Engineering and Science, is named in his honor.