Bill Clinton is no stranger to college basketball.
Going back decades, the 42nd president of the United States has been a loyal Arkansas Razorbacks fan. He grew up in the state, and during his presidency in the 1990s became the first sitting American president to attend a Final Four. (And is still the only one to do so.)
Arkansas held a day of appreciation, nostalgia and tribute on Saturday. The program celebrated its 20-year anniversary of winning the 1994 national title by bringing in a bunch of older, familiar faces back. Nolan Richardson, who coached the Hogs to that title, was on hand. As was Eddie Sutton, who made his name in coaching at Fayetteville before going to Kentucky and then Oklahoma State.
Plenty of others, too, as the school honored all six teams in school history to make the Final Four. Corliss Williamson, Scotty Thurman, Jim Counce, Lee Mayberry, Oliver Miller and others attended.
But no one brings the fans to a cheer like Bubba. Though Clinton did not attend Arkansas, Hogs fans have treated him as one of them since the start, basically. And on Saturday, in honor of Clinton being the 42nd president in United States history and the 42nd governor in state history. Only made sense for the school to do him good with a personalized jersey.
A couple of photos of the halftime ceremony, via Twitter.
Bill Clinton is presented a No. 42 jersey by the University of Arkansas. pic.twitter.com/rPrthUUo4A
— WholeHogSports (@wholehogsports) February 15, 2014
Bill Clinton in the house pic.twitter.com/Wq7UJ8W3KW
— Kelsey Emmons (@emmons_kl) February 15, 2014