William M. Spann, a former professor, university administrator, and director of athletics at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, died last month at the age of 86.
A native of Charleston, South Carolina, Spann enrolled at Shaw University in 1946 and played on its football team. After serving in the military during the Korean War era, Spann returned to Shaw University and earned his degree in 1956. He later earned graduate degrees at Columbia University and Indiana State University.
Spann joined the faculty at Shaw University in 1957 and also served as head women’s basketball coach. He was the founder of the university’s program in kinesiology, was superintendent of the university’s Sunday School, and served as chair of the department of allied health. Spann retired in 1998 but was called back to the university and retired again in 2003.
