Southeast Athletic Trainers’ Association

Frank (Skipper) Mann served for almost 25 years as athletic trainer at the University of Kentucky. He dedicated his life to fulfilling the need for qualified athletic trainers in the work of college sports. He was considered by historians to be one of the forefathers of modern athletic training. He attended Chicago University in 1903, completed a full course in the art of handling the physical injuries and mental stresses of athletes and began his student trainer position. In 1906, he accepted an athletic training position at the University of Indiana where he remained until he accepted a position at Iowa in 1910. Frank Mann worked at Iowa in the capacity of athletic trainer from 1910 to 1914 before moving to Kentucky where worked until his retirement in 1950. During his almost 50 years of experience and contributions, he became known as one of the nation's most prominent athletic trainers. In 1962, he was one of the original inductees to the Helm's Hall of Fame for athletic trainers. Mann died in 1957 at the age of 70.

Claude "Big Monk" Simons has gone down in history as one of the great names in intercollegiate athletics. Claude and his younger brother known as “Little Monk” were a part of Tulane Athletics during the 1930’s and the 1940’s. Both played football for the Green Wave. Simons also served as head coach in basketball, baseball, track and boxing while at Tulane. Simons was president of the Southern Amateur Athletic Union and had Tulane's Olympic-size pool named in his honor. Claude was a part of the transition from coach to athletic trainer in the very early years of the profession. He began to assume more and more of the duties that we associate with the Athletic Trainer. Monks efforts lead to the formal position of an athletic trainer. He fulfilled these duties for several years serving as the Head Athletic Trainer at Tulane University from 1921 until his death in 1943. He left a set up that served as a setting for Spike Dixon and Bubba Porche, both NATA Hall of Fame Members. Claude was inducted into the NATA Hall of Fame in 1962 and the Louisiana Athletic Trainers’ Hall of Fame in 1998.

• Claude "Big Monk" Simons has gone down in history as one of the great names in intercollegiate athletics. Claude and his younger brother known as “Little Monk” were a part of Tulane Athletics during the 1930’s and the 1940’s. Both played football for the Green Wave. Simons also served as head coach in basketball, baseball, track and boxing while at Tulane. Simons was president of the Southern Amateur Athletic Union and had Tulane's Olympic-size pool named in his honor. Claude was a part of the transition from coach to athletic trainer in the very early years of the profession. He began to assume more and more of the duties that we associate with the Athletic Trainer. Monks efforts lead to the formal position of an athletic trainer. He fulfilled these duties for several years serving as the Head Athletic Trainer at Tulane University from 1921 until his death in 1943. He left a set up that served as a setting for Spike Dixon and Bubba Porche, both NATA Hall of Fame Members. Claude was inducted into the NATA Hall of Fame in 1962 and the Louisiana Athletic Trainers’ Hall of Fame in 1998.

Frank Wandle was athletic trainer at Army, Yale and served two years at Louisiana State University before retiring. Dates are not available but he was inducted into the NATA Hall of Fame in 1962.

• Frank Wandle was athletic trainer at Army, Yale and served two years at Louisiana State University before retiring. Dates are not available but he was inducted into the NATA Hall of Fame in 1962.

Mickey O'Brien went to work for the University of Tennessee in 1938 - just in time to help with three successive unbeaten seasons and trips to bowl games. He served as a jack-of-all-trades for the Vol program. In addition to being Head Athletic Trainer for all sports teams, he was in charge of the training table, oversaw the equipment and laundry operations, and served as chief recruiter in Chattanooga, North Carolina and Florida. O'Brien was designated Trainer Emeritus in 1977 for the Volunteers' football team and served under five football coaches at Tennessee, beginning with Gen. Bob Neyland. Experts in sports medicine regarded O'Brien as one of the premier college athletic trainers. He served as a mentor to various athletic trainers including NATA Hall of Fame members Jim Goostree and Chris Patrick. He helped form the Southeastern Conference Trainers Association and served as its first president. He died October 24, 1986 in Knoxville. Tennessee at age 79.

• Mickey O'Brien went to work for the University of Tennessee in 1938 - just in time to help with three successive unbeaten seasons and trips to bowl games. He served as a jack-of-all-trades for the Vol program. In addition to being Head Athletic Trainer for all sports teams, he was in charge of the training table, oversaw the equipment and laundry operations, and served as chief recruiter in Chattanooga, North Carolina and Florida. O'Brien was designated Trainer Emeritus in 1977 for the Volunteers' football team and served under five football coaches at Tennessee, beginning with Gen. Bob Neyland. Experts in sports medicine regarded O'Brien as one of the premier college athletic trainers. He served as a mentor to various athletic trainers including NATA Hall of Fame members Jim Goostree and Chris Patrick. He helped form the Southeastern Conference Trainers Association and served as its first president. He died October 24, 1986 in Knoxville. Tennessee at age 79.

After graduating from Mercer College in 1923, Charles "Smokey" Harper became known as one of the most prominent athletic trainers in the Southeast Conference. From 1931 to 1936 he trained at Vanderbilt before moving on to Florida for a short time. Smokey also worked at UCLA for “Red” Sanders for one year. In 1940 he returned to Vanderbilt, met Paul "Bear" Bryant and followed the coaching legend to Kentucky, Texas A&M and Alabama before he eventually retired. During his career he served as a mentor to "Rusty" Payne at Kentucky, and to Billy Pickard, Roy Don Wilson and Jerry Rhea at Texas A&M. He was regarded by his fellow athletic trainers and students as a nice and very practical man. Coach Bryant commented that he could read people better than anyone he ever had on his staff.

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