Class of 1974

Born: August 4, 1910 in Hardinsburg, Kentucky

Category: Administration

From 1928-1932 Beard was on the Auburn University track team and became a Southern Conference discus champion. In 1932, he joined the Auburn athletics staff as business manager and in 1951 he was named athletic director. His first act as AD was to hire Ralph “Shug” Jordan as head football coach. Cliff Hare Stadium seated 22,000 in 1951; it had been expanded to 62,000 by the time Beard retired on July 1, 1972. In addition, he changed a 2,000-seat basketball gym to a 13,000-seat coliseum, developed a new track, a modern dormitory for athletics, and a new ten-acre football practice field.