Clinton family donates new portrait for gym
On Nov. 14, the Walter H. Clinton family donated a new portrait of Mr. Clinton that now hangs in the lobby of Clinton Gymnasium at William Carey University. The portrait that previously hung in the gym was ripped off the walls during the Jan. 21, 2017, tornado that hit the WCU campus. Clint Wilson found the mangled frame that once held his grandfather’s likeness, but the portrait was never found in the tornado rubble.
Clinton owned a timber, land and sawmill business in Petal and, according to WCU President Tommy King, provided most of the materials for the gym when it was constructed in 1961. Clinton, who passed away in 1966, also served on the university’s board of trustees.
“He was very fond of Carey,” said Clinton’s daughter Elizabeth Wilson, who attended the portrait presentation.
Clinton Gym was renovated in 2004 and 2006, and an annex that includes offices, locker rooms and a workout facility was added in 2017.
One wall of the gym collapsed during the tornado resulting in extensive structural and water damage. The Crusaders finished out the last season playing all their games on the road due to the damage. The repairs to the gym were completed just in time for the first home basketball game on Nov. 14.
The new floor in the gym has been named in honor of Coach Steve Knight, who has led the men’s basketball team since 1982 and is also a member of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. The floor will be officially dedicated during a ceremony later in the season.