East Carolina Pirate Club

MISSION

The mission of the East Carolina University Educational Foundation, Inc., d/b/a the Pirate Club, is to be the friend-raising and fund-raising arm of East Carolina University's Division I athletics program, representing the highest principles of honesty and integrity. By conducting annual fund, endowment, and capital campaigns in support of student-athlete scholarships, athletic facility enhancements and other programmatic needs, the Pirate Club seeks to bring positive recognition to East Carolina University and the region it serves through a competitive athletics program.

HISTORY

Although it has been known by a variety of names, its purpose has remained the same. Since October 1961, the East Carolina University Educational Foundation Inc., (Pirate Club) has played an integral role in the growth of the university's athletics program, as well as in the lives of numerous student-athletes.

Starting with a group called 'The Untouchables', to today's membership of over 17,000 (including the Student Pirate Club and Young Grad Program), the Pirate Club has had quite a storied history throughout its 50 years. The Pirate Club's earliest roots can be traced back to October, 1961, when the first major organized fund-raising campaign on behalf of ECU Athletics kicked off. Dr. Leo Jenkins, Chancellor of then East Carolina College, felt the best way to get the school on the national map was through the development of a major college athletics program, with a new football stadium high on the list of priorities. So a group of Greenville businessmen, led by W.M. 'Booger' Scales, Jr., took it upon themselves to raise the needed funds for this project. Driving around town in Scales' black Buick, 'The Untouchables' solicited contributions from local businesses. In addition to Scales, members of the 'Untouchables' included Burt Aycock, Howard Hodges, Wally Howard, Con Lanier, Jim Little, Reynolds May, David Whichard, and President Jenkins. The 'Untouchables' efforts were a huge success. Although the Stadium Drive campaign goal was set at $200,000, within a short period of time the group had raised $283,387.

Almost a year later with stadium construction well under way, Clarence Stasavich was hired to become ECC's head football coach and Athletics Director. Both Stasavich and Dr. Jenkins felt that private financial support was necessary for the Department's progress. On September 4, 1962, they, along with thirty-seven businessmen in the Greenville community, held a meeting in the school's gymnasium and voted to officially organize the Century Club. The men present at the meeting who became charter members, elected officers for the newly formed organization: President, W.M. 'Booger' Scales, Jr., Vice-President, Reynolds May, Secretary Dr. Keith Homes, Sr.; and Treasurer F.D. Duncan. The Century Club's initial fund-raising goal was to recruit 400 members who would each contribute $100 in annual support of East Carolina's athletics program.

During those formative years of the Century Club, the group continued to work towards its original goal, getting closer each year to 400-member/$40,000 mark. One of the major driving forces behind the growth of the Century Club was Dr. Ray Minges. The club's president from 1965-68, Minges' close friendship with Stasavich stemmed from a shared vision for East Carolina Athletics. During his tenure, the group constructed the Century Club Building for members to use during football games and other club socials, at a cost of $45,000.

The Century Club continued to grow in the 1970's. In 1970, there were 852 members who contributed $125,245 in annual support. Along with this growth came a name change. What was previously the Century Club and the Pirates Club (for those contributing between $15 and $99 for the funding of sports other than football), merged into the East Carolina University Educational Foundation or Pirate Club on January 1, 1972. Prior to the merger, ECU's Athletics business managers oversaw the day-to-day operations of the Century Club. Jack Wall, Maurice Allen, and Bill Cain filled that capacity during those years. With the formation of the Pirate Club, the group felt the need for a full-time person to handle daily duties. Ira Norfolk was hired as the first Executive Secretary in 1972.

Under its new name, the group accomplished quite a bit during the 1970's. A priority point system was implemented, and several Pirate Club community chapters were established. One of the biggest impacts of this decade came from the Life Membership Program. Several members, who collectively contributed over $1.2 million, reached 'Plank' level status ' lifetime membership and benefits. With all the new programs and activities underway, the club continued its steady growth, both in numbers and in financial support. In 1978, the Pirate Club raised $437,000 in annual contributions. The decade of the 1980's can only be described as one of tremendous growth for the Pirate Club. The group crossed the 4,000-membership mark in 1986, and unrestricted annual contributions increased from $398,290 in 1981 to $1,058,621 in 1989. Scholarship support for student-athletes followed this upward trend as well, jumping from $319,618 in 1981 to $832,744 by the end of the decade. In 1983, five prominent East Carolina University alumni saw the need to establish an endowment program for the athletics program. By pledging $50,000 each to this endowment fund, Roddy Jones of Raleigh, James Maynard of Raleigh, Alvin Hutzler of Richmond, Virginia, Sam Wornom of Sanford and the late Pat Draughon of Dunn established a basis for enhancement of student-athlete scholarship funding for years to come. Earnings from the fund can be used by the Pirate Club to help meet scholarship funding, or other restricted expenditures of ECU's nineteen sports programs.

The 1980's also brought about the start of an new annual Pirate Club tradition, The Great Pirate Purple/Gold Pigskin Pig-Out Party. This weekend affair, was held in conjunction with the annual spring football game, offering a great family atmosphere for the Greenville community, and provided abundant support for student-athlete scholarships. As the University headed into the 1990's, with East Carolina University's Division I athletics program continuing to grow and prosper, funding provided by the Pirate Club to ECU Athletics continued to grow as well. In 1994, the first time in its history, the Pirate Club turned over $1 million in student-athlete scholarship support to ECU Athletics. Also in the decade, the Pirate Club joined the University's two other foundations in East Carolina University's first major, comprehensive capital campaign, the Shared Visions Campaign! Initiated under the leadership of Chancellor Dr. Richard Eakin, the Pirate Club raised over $10 million in pledges toward the expansion of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, $1.3 million in student-athlete scholarship endowments, $500,000 in endowment of the student-development program, and $450,000 toward other athletic facility enhancements. Another milestone was reached through this campaign effort, as the Pirate Club received its first-ever, $1 million contribution from Trade Oil Company. Other record-breaking accomplishments by the Pirate Club took place during the 1990's. In 1997, the Pirate Club reached the 6,000-member mark (6,049). In 1998, the Pirate Club crossed the $2 million threshold, as $2,204,140 was received in unrestricted contributions. Much of this growth is related to the implementation of the Pirate Rep Program in 1992, which provides grass roots solicitation of members through the club's thirty-four community chapters that span the East Coast from Washington, D.C. to Atlanta, Georgia.

Also in 1998, the Pirate Club commenced its second major capital campaign, the $10 million Kickoff to Victory Campaign, in support of the 52,000 square foot Strength and Conditioning Center. By the close of this campaign in August, 1999, the Educational Foundation had exceeded its $10 million Kickoff to Victory Campaign goal by raising more than $10.8 million in pledges. Much of the campaign's success was due to leadership provided by Co-Chairs Walter L. Williams and Pete D. Murphy. As the Pirate Club entered a new millennium, growth in membership and financial support has continued. In 2000, the Pirate Club crossed the 7,000-membership plateau, with 7,800 active Pirate Club members at year-end. Further, in 2000, the Pirate Club turned over in support of Student-Athlete Scholarship funding and other funding on behalf of ECU Athletics, more than $2.5 million. In 2001, the Pirate Club experienced further growth in membership and financial support of ECU Athletics and entered into the major gifts solicitation phase to raise $6 million in private support for a new 3,000-seat baseball stadium to showcase Pirate Baseball. At the campaign close in early 2005, the Pirate Club had raised more than $9.4 million for the beautiful new Clark-LeClair Stadium from this capital campaign efforts co-chaired by Walter L. Williams and James H. Ward, III. This decade, the Pirate Club is expected to surpass the 10,000-membership mark and grow annual fund support from its members. Further, the Pirate Club will embark in a comprehensive campaign to raise support for East Carolina University. Emphasis in this comprehensive capital campaign will be given to the building of annual fund support for increased scholarship funds to ECU Athletics, further athletic facility improvements for ECU athletics revenue sports and endowment building for the future of the athletics program.

What started out in 1961 as a vision for ECU Athletics of a small group of Greenville businessmen, has developed into a major intercollegiate athletics program that has experienced increased success and growth with each passing year. This success and growth could not have taken place without the paralleled growth of funding provided by the Pirate Club in support of ECU Athletics.