Francis Marion University athletic officials have announced that former Patriot athletic coach Tom C. Davidson and former women's tennis players Mary Hirst and Lee Whitwell, both two-time national champions,will be the newest inductees into the FMU Athletic Hall of Fame on Feb. 16, 2002.
Davidson, who died on March 16, 1996, was a member of the Francis Marion athletic staff from 1972 to1995. Among the many positions he held were assistant dean of students (1972-83), assistant men's basketball coach (1972-74),assistant baseball coach (1972-95), head men's soccer coach(1983-93), coordinator for all athletic recruiting (1972-75), and director of intramurals (1994-95). He also assisted in the area of fund raising for the Patriot athletic program.
During his years assisting Gerald Griffin in the Patriot baseball dugout, Francis Marion recorded a 549-323-1 record. While head coach of the soccer program, he compiled a 61-104-12 mark, which at that time was the highest win total for any coach in the history of the soccer program. His 1985 squad was the first Patriot soccer team to qualify for post-season play. His 1990 squad went 14-5-0, a season record for victories that stood until 1998.
"Coach D" broadcast some Francis Marion and area high school sports on the radio, and served on the executive committee for the Carolina Classic High School Basketball Tournament. He was involved with numerous civic activities and was an active member of St. John's Episcopal Church.
Davidson earned the B.A. degree in psychology and physical education from Emory and Henry College, where he received 11 varsity letters in three sports and was a member of that school's Sports Hall of Fame. He earned the M.S. degree in physical education from the University of Tennessee and did further study at Stetson University and Florida State University.
Prior to coming to Francis Marion, he was an assistant baseball coach at The Citadel for two years, and taught and coached at several high schools in Florida for seven years.
