Garland Washington (Jeff) Beard was born August 4, 1910, in Hardinsburg, Kentucky. From 1928 until 1932 he was on the Auburn University track team and became a Southern Conference discus champion. In 1932 he joined the Auburn athletic staff as business manager, and in 1951 he was named athletic director. His first act was to get Ralph Jordan named head football coach. Cliff Hare stadium seated 22,000 in 1951; it had been expanded to 62,000 by the time Beard retired on July 1, 1972. In addition he changed a 2,000 seat basketball gym to a 13,000 seat coliseum, developed a new track, a modern dormitory for athletics and a new ten acre football practice field. Deceased November 10, 1995.