Born in Lexington and raised in Irmo, South Carolina, Marion Reeves was the first African American to play football at Clemson University. He arrived in Fall 1970 and played under Coach (Cecil) Hootie Ingram. In this interview, he discusses life as an athlete and reveals that he enjoyed his time at Clemson. It was “playing football and getting an education,” he said, and he recalls the close camaraderie shared among Black students.
He also speaks of the “Black House,” a house the university provided for Black Students for them to hang out at, his first varsity game against the University of Kentucky, playing in Tiger Stadium, and meeting his wife, Patricia Brockman, in fall 1971. They’ve now been married over 50 years.
Reeves later went on to play for the Philadelphia Eagles.