Sid Simpson, a former high school basketball coach who worked his way to commissioner of the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference and in later years directed athletics and activities at Pine Bluff High School, died Dec. 21. He was 97.
Simpson is credited as a co-founder and consultant for the original King Cotton Holiday Classic, the annual basketball tournament in Pine Bluff which began play in 1983 and ran through 1999 before relaunching in 2018.
According to an obituary, Simpson served in World War II and began his coaching career at Watson Chapel. He moved on to Denison, Texas and entered the college ranks as an assistant coach for basketball and football at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas, where he also served as dean of men and dormitory director.
Grayson County College in Denison recruited Simpson to establish its athletic department in 1964 as the school was being built. He became the campus’ first head basketball coach and athletic director, a feat he would repeat at Western Texas College in Snyder after earning his Ph.D. from present-day University of North Texas.
Simpson hired a high school basketball coach from El Paso named Nolan Richardson, who would lead Western Texas to a national junior college championship in 1980 before being hired as the University of Tulsa’s coach. Richardson, who led the University of Arkansas to an NCAA championship in 1994, successfully nominated Simpson as the first recipient of the Hayes and Kaaren Biggs Humanitarian Award in 2013.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Simpson became commissioner of the AIC, a conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, in 1978. Six of the schools in the AIC at the time now make up half of NCAA Division II’s Great American Conference, with fellow member University of Central Arkansas eventually attaining Division I status in the 2000s.
Following the AIC, Simpson was hired as athletic director at UCA for two years and moved into the athletic and activities directing role at PBHS. According to his obit, 39 conference and state championships were won by Zebras and Fillies teams during his time there.
Simpson was inducted into the Arkansas Activities Association Athletic Directors and Grayson College Athletics halls of fame in 2021.
“Dr. Simpson was first and foremost a devoted family man,” his obituary reads. “He was blissfully married to the love of his life, Hattie, and was the most amazing father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He had a beautiful voice that not only performed at church and college events but echoed in every family car trip as we sang songs together rather than play the radio. We will miss gathering around to hear him sing ‘O Holy Night’ every Christmas Eve. He stood up for those who were treated unfairly, took chances on people that others passed over, saw potential in everyone, and served God every chance he got. His loving devotion to his family is the most important legacy he leaves. His sense of humor and loving presence will be greatly missed.”
Survivors include daughter Margie Bordovsky and her husband David of Springdale; son Mike Simpson and wife Sara of Dripping Springs, Texas; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. A memorial fund in Sid Simpson’s honor has been established at nwaballettheatre.org, donations to which will be split between NWA Ballet Theatre (Margie Bordovsky’s organization) and the Yvonne Richardson Memorial Charity, named after Nolan Richardson’s daughter.
A memorial gathering has been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Feb. 8 at Grace United Methodist Church in Rogers. To view the service online, email grace2grow@cox.net.