The kickoff of the Appalachian State football game not only kicked off the 2011 season, but also kicked off Frank Beamer’s 25th season as the head man in charge of Tech’s football program.
To commemorate this silver anniversary season and all of Beamer’s accomplishments, Tech AD Jim Weaver and university president Dr. Charles Steger presented Beamer with a special framed painting at midfield just minutes before kickoff. The short ceremony first included a brief video that highlighted many of Beamer’s accomplishments. Standing at midfield with Beamer during the presentation were his wife, Cheryl, his son, Shane, and Shane’s family, and Beamer’s daughter, Casey and her fiancé.
“I’m a fortunate guy,” Beamer said. “I’ve been able to stay here at a place I care so much about and to have my whole family here today. It doesn’t get much better than that. I’m a fortunate guy.”
Beamer, a 1969 graduate of Virginia Tech, was hired late in 1986 to replace Bill Dooley as the head coach. Starting with the 1987 season, Beamer has compiled a 199-95-2 record at Tech and a 241-118-4 record overall as a head coach. Under him, Tech has won or shared seven conference titles and played in 18 straight bowl games.
Beamer currently ranks ninth in victories among NCAA FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) coaches and second in victories among active coaches behind Penn State’s Joe Paterno.
At halftime of the game, the athletics department announced that Beamer has signed a contract extension through the 2016 season. Beamer agreed to the extension last August after his contract was set to expire at the end of the 2012 season, but only signed it recently.
“The administration, Jim Weaver, Dr. Steger … everyone has treated me great,” Beamer said. “We agreed on what we wanted to do and signed the contract. This will take us through 2016, and hopefully, some more years after that. We’ll see.
“A few more days like this and I’ll have a few more years after that. I really liked the way we played.”
Tech won its opener easily 66-13, accumulating more than 500 yards of total offense and forcing four turnovers.
To allow Tech fans to be a part of the special presentation and special day and to hold a piece of Beamer’s silver anniversary season, the athletics department decided to let fans purchase prints of the commemorative painting. Proceeds from the prints will benefit Beamer’s charity, Herma’s Readers, and the athletics department’s new indoor football practice facility.
The limited edition lithography will consist of 500 prints, with orange and maroon double matting, and it will be framed in cherry and gold finished molding. The framed prints will sell for $250. The giclée, which is a very high-resolution limited edition reproduction of the painting on canvas, will consist of 50 canvases that will be framed in a black and gold patina frame similar to the one presented to Beamer and will sell for $500. Each print will be hand numbered and signed by the artist, Tom Gallo, and by Beamer.
LIMITED EDITION COMMEMORATIVE COACH BEAMER PRINTS
(in honor of Coach Frank Beamer’s Silver Anniversary)
To order a print or to learn more about the ones available, please check out: http://www.hokiesports.com/beamer25/
