Bill Hudson, successful Spartanburg businessman, former Clemson and pro football player dies. He was 82.
William “Bill” Hudson, one of Spartanburg’s iconic businessmen, and former Clemson University and pro football player, died Wednesday at Spartanburg Medical Center. Hudson was 82.
Hudson founded Puritan Industrial Maintenance in 1970 (later Diversco, Inc.), an industrial cleaning, security and staffing business that grew to employ 5,400 employees in 16 states.
He was the grandfather of Lanie Ann Hudson, former Miss Greater Greer and Miss South Carolina.
Hudson played defensive tackle for Clemson (1954-1956) and played in the Orange Bowl when Clemson, 7-2-2, won its first Atlantic Coast Conference Championship. He was selected to two college all-star games and was picked by the Chicago Cardinals 34th in the 1957 National Football League draft, ahead of players like Sonny Jurgensen and Don Maynard.
Hudson is in the South Carolina and Clemson Athletic Hall of Fames. He was a founding member of the Clemson’s Block C Club (formerly Tiger Letterwinners Association) and established the Hudson Family Clemson Football Position Endowment Scholarship.
The 6-foot-4, 270-pound was a member of one of the most feared defensive lines ever in football – the “Fearsome Foursome”. It included Ernie Ladd (6-9, 325), Earl Faison (6-5, 260) and Ron Nery (6-6, 247).