Dr. C.A. Dufford, Jr. – better known as “Doc” at Newberry College – was born in Kingstree, S.C., in 1921 and moved to Newberry in 1923, graduating from Newberry High in 1938. He then enrolled at Newberry College and graduated with honors in 1942.
After graduating from the Medical University of South Carolina, Doc served in the U.S. Army. He established his medical practice in Newberry in 1950 and served Newberry County for more than 50 years.
In 1951, the future of football at Newberry College was in doubt and a proposal to drop the sport was introduced. Doc took that challenge and went before the Board of Trustees and the South Carolina Lutheran Synod and assured the governing bodies he could raise the money and assist in finding a coach to bring Newberry back to its rightful place.
Doc instigated the foundation of the Indian Club in 1951 and helped save football at Newberry College. He also began to provide his medical services at all of Newberry College’s athletic events. Doc bled scarlet and gray.
Dr. Dufford served on the Newberry College Board of Trustees for more than 20 years and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 1998.
Dr. Dufford gave generously of his time and money, helping assist students with tuition, donating money for Newberry to rejoin the South Atlantic Conference, donating funds for the pictorial history of Newberry College athletics and providing funds for six scholarships in his family’s name.
He and his family also donated the Dufford House to be used by the alumni for meetings and conferences. The Dufford family’s contributions have been well documented and have returned more than a million dollars in cash and services to Newberry College.
