Carroll Dawson named Distinguished Alumnus

Published or Revised November 10, 2007

Carroll Dawson - "Big Orange" to his Paris Junior College teammates from 1956 through 1958, and simply "CD" to the NBA's Houston Rockets he served for 27 years, first as an assistant coach, then as general manager — was named a Distinguished Alumnus of PJC Saturday during 2007 Homecoming festivities. "I don't think anyone gets anywhere in life without a lot of help," Dawson told the hundreds gathered for the awards luncheon at the McLemore Student Center, after receiving the award from PJC President Dr. Pamela Anglin. That help, he said, began with PJC basketball coach Ernest Hawkins. Dawson grew up in Alba, a town of about 200 in Wood County, and played on Alba High School's basketball team. After graduation, Dawson said he had five scholarship offers, including two from four-year schools. But Hawkins convinced Dawson that PJC was his best choice. "This was the perfect place for me. Growing up in the country, I think I felt at home right away because most of the people here were from small towns. I fit in right away." Dawson, quick to use humor when speaking of himself, said: "I remember telling my dad that I was going to Paris. He said, 'Does this mean you'll need shoes?'" Dawson described his days at PJC as "the greatest time of my life," a compliment beyond compare considering Dawson's career since graduating from PJC in 1958. After leading the Dragons to a 20-6 record as a sophomore during the 1957-58 season, Dawson went on to play for Baylor University where he earned All-Southwest Conference honors and averaged 16.4 points per game during his senior year. In 1963 he returned to Baylor as an assistant coach under Bill Menefee. He succeeded Menefee as head coach in 1973 and remained there for three more seasons. After spending two years as a scout for the Dallas Cowboys - "about as much fun as you can have legally" - Dawson joined the Converse Shoe Co. for a brief time before returning to basketball, this time as an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets, where he eventually served under four head coaches. For 11 of his 27 years with the Rockets, Dawson served as general manager, overseeing player personnel activities. "I thoroughly enjoyed my two years here [at PJC]," he said. "I learned a great deal, not only about life and education. I played with some great people." Earlier, during a meeting with the PJC Dragons men's basketball team, Dawson told players to cherish their years at PJC because they would likely remember it as the best time of their lives. Returning to the theme of help, Dawson noted he owes his first coaching job at Baylor to then-PJC coach Boyd Converse. "I had gotten out of the service, I was repossessing cars in Dallas and getting shot at. [Baylor] Coach Menefee called and said they'd like for me to coach because Coach Converse had recommended me. "I said, 'Well, do we get shot at?' He said, 'I don't think we're going to be that bad.' So with Coach Converse's help I wound up at Baylor." Dawson said he's had "three great jobs, and I really didn't apply for any of them." "I'm probably the luckiest guy in the world. I didn't know what I was going to do, and people kept calling me, and it just worked out. "I think it all started because I came to Paris." Now officially retired from the Rockets, Dawson still works with the team as a consultant. Dawson was inducted into the PJC Hall of Fame in 1991, the Baylor University Hall of Fame in 1998, the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. He was also named Mr. Sportsman 2005 by Interfaith Charities in Houston. He and his wife Sharon reside in Houston. Sharon has a daughter, Elizabeth, and a son, Michael.