Sigma Pi Phi ("the Boule") and Omega Psi Phi fraternities, Boy Scouts of America, Forsyth County Heart Association, and United States Olympic Committee. He was a basketball consultant for the United States Air Force (Germany, England, Mexico). He served as president of CIAA Basketball Coaches Association from 1972 to 1976; NAIA District Chairman, 1966–72; president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches in 1989; and was a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame board of trustees. In January 2005, Gaines was honored during a half-time ceremony at Rupp Arena, home of the University of Kentucky, during a game between the Kentucky and the University of Kansas. Before a capacity crowd of 24,000, he received the designation of "Kentucky Colonel" from Governor Ernie Fletcher, the highest honor a native son of the State of Kentucky can receive. The Big House Gaines Scholarship was established in 2006 by the Reynolds Rotary Club in recognition of the fact that Gaines was a charter member of that club. In 2010, the National Sports Media Association (NSMA) established the Clarence "Big House" Gaines College Basketball Coach of the Year Awards for head coaches in NCAA Division I and Division I who might not otherwise receive recognition from "mainstream outlets." The first two awards were presented in 2011. In 2011, Collegeinsider.com named the Clarence Gaines Award in his honor. It is for the best Division II college basketball coach of each year. In 2017, the city of Paducah, KY renamed 7th Street Clarence Gaines Street. Personal In 1950, Gaines married the former Clara Berry, a teacher of Latin in the local county public school system. They had two children, Lisa Gaines McDonald, a private business consultant and Clarence Edward Gaines, Jr., a scout and top advisor for the National Basketball Association's New York Knicks. He and his wife retired to East Winston-Salem. Gaines died on April 18, 2005, due to complications from a stroke. A large memorial was held at WSSU on April 22, 2005; all conflicting classes were canceled. See also List of college men's basketball coaches with 600 wins References External links 1923 births 2005 deaths African-American basketball coaches African-American basketball players African-American coaches of American football African-American players of American football American men's basketball coaches American men's basketball players Basketball coaches from Kentucky Basketball players from Kentucky Coaches of American football from Kentucky College men's basketball head coaches in the United