In the South, we love the odd, eccentric and unusual. Often, these customs originated with a fascinating story. The Clemson two-dollar bill tradition is no exception.
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In the 1970s, Clemson football was not the successful program you see today. Although the school had a rich legacy with legendary coach Frank Howard, they had never won a national championship and had not been in a post-season bowl since 1959. Tech dominated the series, with Clemson only posting two wins and a tie since 1945.
Clemson had begun playing Georgia Tech in 1898. Other than three games, the games had always taken place in Atlanta. It was an essential piece of Clemson’s funding. As Coach Frank Howard said, “we needed the money. Going to play in Atlanta with the large population and the big stadium, it was like going to a bowl game. It really paid dividends and helped us during the years”.
Clemson’s Fundraising arm is called IPTAY (Originally, I pay ten a year). The Executive Secretary was George Bennett, a 1955 Clemson grad. He had been fundraising for his alma mater since 1967 and was about to face a daunting challenge.
In 1977, Clemson wanted to modify the long-standing series to home and home. The two schools could not agree, so Tech, who was not yet playing in the ACC, decided to drop Clemson from their future schedule. This would have a substantial financial impact on the Clemson program. Even worse, they were being replaced on Tech’s schedule by William & Mary. Many in Atlanta were unhappy with losing their Clemson visitors. In a 2019 interview, Bennett recalled the manager of the Hyatt Hotel in Atlanta saying, “Well, I really hope that William will bring Mary. Because that’ll be the biggest crowd they bring down here.”
Bennett came up with a novel plan to show Ga Tech’s administrators just how much money Clemson fans spent in Atlanta. With only the 1977 game remaining between the two long-term rivals, George decided to ask Clemson’s fans to pay for their Atlanta expenses with two-dollar bills. The idea was that the unusual payment method would stand out, and the merchants and Georgia Tech would realize how much Tiger fans put into their pockets. Ga Tech head coach Pepper Rogers even mentioned the two-dollar bills in his column for the Atlanta Constitution. He said, “If we don’t play a great game, defensively, it will be a long afternoon.” His statement proved to be accurate, as Clemson soundly defeated Tech 31-14.
Bennett later said that Tiger fans “covered the town in two-dollar bills.” It was too late to get the Clemson/Ga Tech game back onto the schedule, but a tradition was born. He decided to add tiger paw stamps to the bills. A stamp and an ink pad got his new variation underway, and he encouraged others to do the same. That December, Clemson faced Pittsburgh in the Gator Bowl, and Jacksonville became the first destination for the two-dollar bills embossed with tiger paws.
It became standard practice for traveling Clemson fans to pour tiger paw-stamped two dollars bills into the economies where the Tigers played. Clemson area banks stock up in advance of away and bowl games. One branch alone estimated they saw 250 customers come in for two-dollar bills before the Tigers played in the Cotton Bowl a few years back. Before the National Championship game with Alabama, fans became upset with the banks because they were having to limit quantities. Many even provide stamps and ink pads right in their lobbies.
