Recognizing athletes for their outstanding character, inspiring conduct and great impact, the Oklahoma Christian Athletic Hall of Fame this year inducted its first second-generation honoree.
Clint Vaughn is the son of former Oklahoma Christian University student-athlete Ray Vaughn Jr. and the grandson of former coach – and OC Athletic Hall of Famer – Ray Vaughn Sr.
According to Murray Evans, associate athletic director for media relations, said that Clint was an NAIA All-America second-team selection in 1997, when he also was named as the Sooner Athletic Conference player of the year after hitting .477 with 18 home runs and 72 RBIs. He was a three-time All-SAC pick, making the second-team list in 1996 and the first-team list in 1997 and 1998.
“Clint is probably the best player we have ever had at OC, certainly the best hitter we have ever had.” Evans said.
With his grandfather being Oklahoma Christian’s first coach and athletic director for more than 20 years, Vaughn grew up on the Oklahoma Christian campus, where he would come to watch games often.
“My grandfather died when I was three years old, so I didn’t get to know him really well,” Vaughn said. “My father was not one of those to really push me to play everything and be really good, he let us play sports for fun and it wasn’t a competitive deal.”
According to Oklahoma Christian Baseball Coach Lonny Cobble,Vaughn was a really good player, even back in high school when he coached him.
“He played good defense, he was smart,” Cobble said. “He knew the game, so he never got himself in trouble by not knowing what was going on and he could always hit.”
Vaughn said his sophomore year was when he began to put extra effort into baseball, hoping to improve his game.
“I had always played sports in school and in 10th grade, I realized baseball was probably my best chance at playing sports in college so, I started focusing on baseball and working hard on that,” Vaughn said.
Though Vaughn’s grandfather helped Oklahoma Christian go from a two-year school to a four-year college in 1960, he said that he was not interested in pursuing his athletic career at Oklahoma Christian. After high school he attended Seminole State College, but later reached out to Oklahoma Christian and asked if there was still a spot for him on the team.
“He came back in 1996, but he was playing in the outfield when he usually played first baseman,” Evans said. “He hit pretty well but he wasn’t playing his position, the next year when he played his position that is when he burst out and hit a .477 which is still OC’s record.”
Evans said that Vaughn set multiple Oklahoma Christian records, which lead to his induction into the Oklahoma Christian Hall of Fame.
“He had 18 homeruns that year and 72 RBIs and those are all school records, he was also the first and only OC student to receive an award for the Sooner Athletic Conference player of the year,” Vaughn said.
After his junior year, in his second year at Oklahoma Christian Vaughn was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds, which meant he was not eligible to play college baseball.
“I don’t know if we will have anybody break his records because it was a different time, different bats and a lot of different rules,” Cobble said. “But not taking anything away from Clint, that was the era he played in and he performed at a very high level that’s why he got drafted.” .
Although he loved the game, Vaughn said it was time for him to go to the next step in his life. After two seasons in the minor leagues, Vaughn returned to Oklahoma Christian, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
“My wife and I were getting serious in our relationship and I was burned out on baseball,” Vaughn said “I regret a little bit not trying to keep playing, but I was excited about the next step of my life, which was getting engaged to my wife and moving on. There was mixed feelings for a couple of years when baseball season would start. I really missed it and wished I was still playing.”
Now, Vaughn has three sons and one daughter and owns a roofing business in Bixby, Oklahoma called Roofscapes Exteriors, LLC.
“Baseball was great but what I learned at OC is really helping me be successful today,” Vaughn said. “Acting with Christian morals and integrity, treating people right and not chasing the dollar and being greedy. It is about more than that and I learned that at OC.” .
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