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As a member of the 1967 Presbyterian College football team, John Carroll Doyle has shown his thanks to the school by presenting it with a large oil painting depicting Raymond McElveen, a player for the school in 1918, holding a leather helmet while wearing an old PC uniform. The painting was created from vintage photographs of Blue Hose leatherheads supplied to Doyle by the schools Director of Planned Giving, John Cullum. On the back of the canvas, the artist has written: "This painting is dedicated to all those young men of integrity who have worn the Presbyterian College uniform."
McElveens family is very proud that Doyle chose their grandfathers image for the large 5'x 3'original oil canvas. As a result, the family is working to fund a scholarship in McElveens honor. Doyle, who had never played sports at Charleston High School because of his low grades (which was explained later by a diagnoses of severe dyslexia), decided after four years of military service to use the G.I. Bill and try college football.
"I wouldn't recommend it" says Doyle with a smile, who saw many well seasoned high school stars sit on the bench. PC's coaches Cally Gault and Billy Tiller assigned Doyle to the position of defensive end on what they called the meat team. For those who do not know the term meat team, which is also called the scout team, it is made up of expendable players who run plays repetitively against the first string players in practice. After one season of bruised ribs, sprained ankles, and many ice packs, the artist had experienced firsthand what college level football was all about. After that, he decided to stick with what he knew best; painting paintings!
Obviously the artists' destiny was not to be found on the football field. But after years of questioning his less than splendid athletic career where he sat on the bench 42 years ago, Doyle couldn't have been more surprised to be sitting in the Presidential sky-box Saturday, November 21st, 2009 as a guest of PC's President John Griffith, as the Blue Hose hosted Gardner-Webb in the final game of the season. "Life is funny", says Doyle, "one day your'e sitting on the bench as a sixth string defensive end, and the next your'e sitting in the Presidents box of the college among the VIP seats."
We are happy to offer this textured giclee reproduction so that many others can enjoy this unique and special painting!
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