Clemson's Hair, Orange Bowl MVP, dies

Updated: August 26, 2003, 5:10 PM ET

CLEMSON, S.C. -- Billy Hair, the MVP of the 1951 Orange Bowl for Clemson, has died. He was 74.

Hair died Sunday. The cause of death was unavailable.

Hair threw for 178 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown, and ran for 48 yards as the Tigers defeated Miami 15-14 on New Year's Day 1951.

Hair became a starter in coach Frank Howard's single-wing offense in 1950 and remained prominent until a shoulder injury cut short his senior season in 1952.

Before Hair's final season, the school printed brochures sent nationwide that touted him as a Heisman Trophy hopeful. However, Hair hurt his shoulder in the first game of the season against Presbyterian. He played despite the injury, but his career came to end later that year when he sustained a knee injury against Boston College.

Hair is a member of the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame.

Funeral services will be Wednesday at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Gilbert.

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index

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