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|| SportsShooter.com: News Item: Posted 2003-12-23
New exhibit by Rich Clarkson opens in January
'The Champions: Portraits from the NCAA Arena' to open in Indianapolis
By Diane Nagler, The Usher Group
Photo by Rich Clarkson
Pete Maravich, Louisiana State, 1968
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Nationally acclaimed sports photographer Rich Clarkson's exhibit, "The Champions: Portraits from the NCAA Arena" opens at the NCAA Hall of Champions in Indianapolis, IN on January 17, 2004. The exhibit features 36 Rich Clarkson portraits from the past 50 years, many of which were done for Sports Illustrated Magazine. Subjects of the photo exhibit include Wilt Chamberlain, Gale Sayers, Bob Knight, Pete Maravich, and other high profile, respected college athletes and coaches.
A private reception from 4:30pm-6pm on Friday, January 16, 2004 kicks off the installation. The exhibit will be open to the public from January 17 – April 24, 2004, with free admission on January 19th in commemoration of Martin Luther King Day. The exhibit will then travel, arriving in the USOC Visitor’s Center in Colorado Springs, CO in summer 2004.
"We're excited to host this exhibit, as the photographs capture the athletes in an inspiring light, and make a lasting impression," said George Smith, managing director of the NCAA Hall of Champions. "In conjunction with our other efforts, The Champions exhibit allows us to extend our brand and our message as an organization dedicated to supporting collegiate athletics."
Following are comments made by Clarkson about some of the photographs in the exhibit:
Wilt Chamberlain
Photo by Rich Clarkson
Wilt Chamberlain, Kansas, 1956
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This photograph, one of a number taken on the pre-season "picture day" at the University of Kansas, was photographed in Allen Fieldhouse. After Clarkson had taken a number of posed action pictures of Chamberlain dunking the ball, he asked him to sit down on this folding chair. Chamberlain, who was over seven feet tall, had an unusually high waist, and thus, long legs. It suddenly became obvious when he sat down and the knees were so high, this showed his heights better than the pictures of him standing – or even dunking.
Clarkson processed the pictures, dropping them into the mail to a relatively new but prestigious magazine, Sports Illustrated. The packet of his pictures landed on the desk of the picture editor on Monday morning while ht planning session for the next week’s issue was underway. When the picture editor returned to his office, following the meeting when it was decided to do a Chamberlain story the next week, here were the pictures – including the shoe-tying portrait. Managing Editor Andre LaGuerre liked the picture – and the plan to send a photographer to Kansas from New York to photograph Chamberlain was shelved.
Sports Illustrated used the picture and it began a 50-year career of Clarkson photographing for the magazine.
When Sports Illustrated selected the most memorable portraits published over the history of the magazine in 1999, this and Clarkson’s Pete Maravich portrait make the list.
Wilber “Sparky” Stalcup
Photo by Rich Clarkson
Wilbur "Sparky" Stalcup, Missouri, 1953
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When Clarkson was an undergraduate studying journalism at the University of Kansas, he began expanding his freelance activities from the KU teams to surrounding schools. He convinced Bill Callahan, the sports information director of the University of Missouri, to convene a photo session before practice during the start of the 1953 season. Included in the pictures, posed and lighted with large strobes, was this picture of coach “Sparky” Stalcup, sold to and used in The Kansas City Star.
Later that same season, Clarkson returned to Columbia, MO to photograph a crucial Big Six game with Kansa State – and Stalcup threw a tantrum in the last two minutes of the game. Clarkson’s pictures were published in The Star, distributed by the Associated Press and widely used in newspapers everywhere. Stalcup called KU student Clarkson, banning him from ever returning to Brewer Fieldhouse. The accounts of that “ban” turned into a new controversy with sports columnists across the country writing about Stalcup's second rage. It was only three weeks later when Clarkson boarded an airline bound for the NCAA Finals only to find the last seat on the plane was next to – Stalcup. Stalcup recognized him, invited him to sit down and struck up a conversation that led to a longtime friendship. At Stalcup’s final game as coach at Mizzou, he was presented with a framed set of Clarkson’s pictures.
John Wooden
Photo by Rich Clarkson
John Wooden, UCLA, 1975
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UCLA’s legendary coach, John Wooden, was photographed many times by Clarkson who documented all ten of his national championships. In 1971, graduation senior Sidney Wicks came out of the game to congratulate Wooden on the bench – an unexpected moment because Wicks had not always gotten along with his coach. It was a poignant moment and photograph, which Wooden has since said it is the favorite picture of his remarkable career. But when Clarkson selected pictures for this collection, he picked this more volatile picture for Wooden’s final game as he "worked" the officials early in the second half. Wooden’s cherubic expression, his rolled up game program and gentle post game demeanor masked a determined competitor who was never passive during a game – if you were close enough to hear. Which Clarkson often was – and why this is his favorite Wooden picture.
Adolph Rupp
The legendary University of Kentucky coach was to be the subject of a Sports Illustrated picture essay entitled "the colorful coaches." Clarkson was assigned to photograph Rupp at a home game in Lexington, KY and the editors hoped he would do something outrageous – colorful – on the bench. Clarkson arrived the day of the game and approached the sports information director for permission to photograph coach Rupp close-up during the game. That wasn’t going to be possible, he said at which point Clarkson asked to talk to Rupp. The SID clearly thought that wasn’t a good idea, but Clarkson marched into his office anyway. The door to Rupp’s inner office was open, and there he sat, so Clarkson walked in explaining what he wanted to do that evening.
"You’re just here to make me look silly," coach Rupp said with his squeaky voice. "And I’m not going to have it!"
At this point Clarkson explained that one of his first published pictures as a teenager in Lawrence, KS was of him and the Kansas coach, "Phog" Allen. And Clarkson told how he had taken the picture on the porch of the home of his sister, Mrs. Paul B/ Lawson, just across the street from Clarkson's parent’s house. "He remembered the occasion and that I had sent him a 5 x 7 print of the picture."
And that is how Clarkson had the run of the place that night.
Photo by Rich Clarkson
Dean Smith, North Carolina, 1982
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Dean Smith
In 1982, Sports Illustrated decided to select North Carolina as the preseason favorite to win the national title. Coach Dean Smith needed to be an important part of the cover picture, the magazine selected Clarkson as the photographer. The idea was to show Smith diagramming a play on a glad “blackboard” with the team showing in the background. Technically, Clarkson set up the shoot by double exposing the diagramming instead of using a sheet of glass and the potential problems of reflections. The tests with the setup and lighting were not as tough as getting Smith to agree to the picture of himself and the starting lineup. For that Clarkson was the right person for both attended the University of Kansas and he often traveled with the KU team Dean’s junior and senior years. Smith finally agreed to the picture with the provision that one of his rules must be followed. The freshman, penciled into the starting lineup before his first season, would not be allowed to pose in the picture. Smith never let freshmen achieve exalted roles before their first season ended. So this picture was taken without the freshman.
Michael Jordan.
Dr. Forrest C. "Phog" Allen
Clarkson first became aware of Dr. Allen, growing up in Lawrence, and one time, attending basketball practice in Robinson Gymnasium along with
Photo by Rich Clarkson
Forrest C. "Phog" Allen, Kansas, 1954
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some other ten-year-olds. Dr. Allen used to have "water breaks" during practice, where the players rested and drank fairly large amounts of water served in glass milk bottles. During one of these breaks, Dr. Allen walked over to the little group of grade school-age boys sitting on the floor watching practice. He visited with them a few minutes and then took the group over to introduce the one other practice spectator – an older man wearing a tweed suit.
That’s how Clarkson met James Naismith – inventor of the game.
Years later when a student at KU, taking pictures of the basketball team almost constantly, Dr. Allen took Clarkson on road trips with the team. He photographed all those games during the years, and eventually, wrote the games stories from the road games. Traveling with the team, Clarkson usually had to room with the student manager – or the number 12 player on the traveling squad.
That was a player on from Topeka – Dean Smith. He went on to coach basketball.
Barry Switzer
Photo by Rich Clarkson
Barry Switzer, Oklahoma, 1980
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In the 70s, Clarkson was intrigued with the idea of spending a season with a college football team, photographing from behind the scenes. He approached the University of Nebraska where new coach Tom Osborne was taking over from the retiring Bob Devaney. Osborne didn’t think this was a very good idea.
Wanting only to do this book with a major team, Clarkson then approached the University of Oklahoma where Barry Switzer was just to begin his first year as head coach. Switzer, never one to worry, said sure, be our guest. That started an amazing year, practices and traveling with the Sooners, partying with the team – and with Switzer. (There may never have been party scenes as in Norman in those years!) When that year was over and the book was published, Clarkson kept returning to Oklahoma for almost every game, photographing for Sports Illustrated, Time and LIFE.
"Switzer was one of the most effective coaches I have ever seen – making the drudgery of daily practices at some point, always entertaining," Clarkson says. "His spontaneous motivational moves were amazing and as so many have observed over the years, Barry was and is absolutely colorblind. He related to African-American players perfectly."
Sports Illustrated asked Clarkson to photograph Switzer at his desk for the next year’s college football preview issue. He knew what his office looked like, for it was not a work office at all. (Switzer’s work office was wherever he was at the time – nothing formal).
What his office was, was the recruiting center. The main activity there was entertaining prospects.
It was a good time to be covering Oklahoma. Switzer and the Sooners won back to back national championships.
WHAT: "The Champions: Portraits from the NCAA Arena" Photography Exhibit
WHERE: NCAA Hall of Champions*
One NCAA Plaza, 700 West Washington, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: 317-916-4261
*Parking is also available in the underground parking garage at the IMAX theatre; enter through the Hall of Champions doors
WHEN: Opening: Private Reception, Friday, January 16, 2004 4:30pm-6pm
RUN DATES: January 17, 2004 – April 24, 2004 M-Sat 10am-5pm; Sunday noon-5pm
CONTACT: Media Contact: Diane Nagler, 303-291-0522 ext. 303/303-725-8558 (mobile) NCAA Contact: Todd Greenwood, 317-916-4259
Rich Clarkson was named by American Photo magazine as one of the 50 most influential individuals in American photography. Clarkson's career includes stints as director of photography and senior assistant editor of the National Geographic Society, assistant managing editor of The Denver Post, director of photography of The Topeka (Ks.) Capital-Journal and as contract/contributing photographer to Sports Illustrated. A past-president of the National Press Photographers Association, he is currently chair of the NPPA Council of Presidents, a trustee of the William Allen White Foundation of the University of Kansas School of Journalism, a trustee of the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Foundation and a member of the advisory council of the National Museum of Wildlife Art. Clarkson has co-authored six books, and his company has packaged 15 books including Brian Lanker's "I Dream A World," portraits of America's great black women which became the best-selling trade coffee table book in American publishing history. His Denver-based company, Rich Clarkson and Associates, does all the photography of the 93 national championships of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for whom they also produce exhibitions and books. Clarkson’s company also produces all the original photography and publishing for the Colorado Rockies baseball team and the Denver Broncos football team. For more information, visit www.richclarkson.com.
The NCAA Hall of Champions is an inspiring 25,000 square foot venue designed by Indianapolis native Michael Graves. The Hall of Champions' content and message focus on the attributes that make up champions and the inspirational "journeys" of the NCAA’s 360,000-plus student-athletes. The NCAA's 24 sponsored sports are represented, and the Hall celebrates the 88 national championships in Divisions I, II, and III. The Hall of Champions is located in White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis (700 West Washington Street). For more information call 317/916-HALL or log on to www.ncaahallofchampions.org
Related Links:
Rich Clarkson
NCAA Hall of Champions
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