Birmingham Sports Pioneer Art Clarkson Dies

BIRMINGHAM, AL -- Birmingham sports icon Art Clarkson died Monday night after a bout with a series of medical issues. He was 78 years old.

Clarkson Clarkson was the former owner of the Birmingham Barons baseball team, and was responsible for bringing minor league baseball back to Birmingham in 1981 after the Birmingham A's left the Magic City in 1976. Clarkson was also responsible for moving the team from Rickwood Field in Birmingham to the Hoover Met - a project he helped spearhead - in 1988.

In 1991, Clarkson shifted his focus from baseball to pro hockey when he founded the Birmingham Bulls in the East Coast Hockey League. He was the managing partner of the team for six seasons before selling and shifting the focus once again - this time to arena football.

Clarkson’s football career took him around the country, from Huntsville (the Tennessee Valley Vipers) to Green Bay. When It was time to retire, he returned to Birmingham.

Clarkson revived professional hockey in the Birmingham area, bringing the Birmingham Bulls to Pelham in 2017. In May 2019, Clarkson stepped down as managing partner of the Birmingham Bulls due to health issues.

Former Birmingham Post-Herald sports editor Scott Adamson remembers Clarkson fondly, and his contribution to the Birmingham sports community.

"Art did so much for Birmingham sports." Adamson said. "He brought the Southern League back to town and helped make the Barons a staple again, and he kept the Bulls brand alive in the ECHL and later the SPHL. We’d talk on the phone every now and then and I’d lose track of time bending his ear about hockey and the WFL … he worked with the Southern Cal franchise in 1974 and Memphis in 1975. He was a great promoter, great ambassador and just a great guy in general. I’ll miss him."

“The Sports world lost a pioneer today,” said Joe Stroud, President, Birmingham Bulls. “Art prided himself on being the PT Barnum of minor league sports and he lived every minute of every day being the heartbeat of his team.”

“Art was as much as a friend as he was my boss, I can’t thank him enough for introducing my family to the Bulls logo,” said Jamey Hicks, Head Coach, Birmingham Bulls. “I miss him already. In my eyes, he is Mr. Hockey of Birmingham but he will always be known as a pioneer of minor league sports. Our thoughts are with Kathy, the kids and the extended family.”