Birmingham Bulls founder Art Clarkson died Monday at the age of 78. Clarkson, a legendary sports promoter, owned the Birmingham Barons starting in 1981, spearheading the move from Rickwood Field to the Hoover Met. In 1991, Clarkson shifted his focus from baseball to pro hockey when he founded the Birmingham Bulls in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). He was managing partner for six seasons before selling, and moving around the country to focus on arena football. Clarkson retired to Birmingham and decided to bring back the Bulls, which returned to the ice in 2017. He stepped away from leading the team in May, due to health problems.
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