SUMTER, S.C. — A coaching giant of South Carolina has died.
The South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame announced the death of football coach Art Baker through social media at noon on Sunday. The organization recognized him as a Hall of Fame member and the head football coach at Furman, The Citadel, and East Carolina University through the '70s and '80s.
But Baker's coaching career took him to schools throughout South Carolina - and elsewhere. As News19's Reggie Anderson shared in a 2022 story about the Sumter native, he also coached at Eau Claire High School. At that time, his staff included future Furman coaches Dick Sheridan, Jimmie Satterfield and Bobby Johnson.
In addition to head coaching positions at Furman, Citadel, and East Carolina, he held assistant coach positions at Clemson, Texas Tech and Florida State. His final job was as the Director of the Gamecock Club, which he had for about seven years before retiring in 1995.
That same year, he was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame alongside Clemson baseball great Rusty Adkins, golfer Frank Ford, USC football star and later NFL wide receiver Billy Gambrell, Clemson and NFL football star Jim Stuckey, and USC legend Mookie Wilson who went on to become an MLB star as well.
But his legacy continued long after his retirement, and in 2020, he was inducted into the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame alongside former Gamecocks and Gators coach Steve Spurrier, South Carolina State All-American Robert Porcher, Clemson great Charlie Waters, and USC's Willie Scott.
Baker was honored with a scholarship in his name during a 2022 celebration in Sumter. The money from the award would be reserved to assist coaches and athletes financially in the 15 counties served by the Midlands Fellowship of Christian Athletes.