Sue Hall, "Mama of the Team"

By Jim Joanos

My friendship with Sue Dove Hall began through two of her siblings. During elementary school I was often seated next to her sister Kathryn. At the same time, I was active in the scouts and Sue’s brother Bob was one of our troop’s leaders. Consequently, I learned a lot about the Dove family. Sue was the eighth of twelve children. The family had a roofing and sheet metal business near my home. Good, hard workers.

Sue Hall

Years later after law school, my wife and I came back to Tallahassee to live. In time both of us got involved in FSU alumni programs. One of the members of the alumni staff was Charles Hall, Sue’s husband. My wife knew Charles as they both had grown up in nearby Quincy. Through Charles and with my former friendship with Sue’s siblings, we became close friends of Charles and Sue. Charles died in 2012 but our friendship with Sue continues.

Sue was first hired by Coach Bowden in 1979. For 24 years she held the title of Bobby Bowden’s administrative assistant but she was much more than that to him. When she was hired by Bowden she was expected by him to be “a mama for the team”. She certainly fulfilled that role and more.

As administrative assistant she was the “gateway” to Coach Bowden. If you wanted to see Coach you had to go by Sue’s desk. As Coach had an open-door policy Sue did not prevent folks from seeing Bowden. However, If somebody stayed with Bowden beyond a reasonable time, she would interrupt the visit to keep Bowden on schedule. Sue responded to countless letters and phone calls.

She met and, in some cases became friends with numerous FSU supporters. Some very well known. One example was Burt Reynolds who became a very close friend. When Reynolds was in town, she and Charles would chauffer him and protect him from an adoring public. On one occasion they even “hid” Reynolds at our apartment where my wife served dinner and afterwards, we had lots of interesting conversation. It was a night to remember.

My wife and I were once asked to help Sue and Charles in providing a steak dinner hosted by the Bowdens’. It was hard work and a sample of how they assisted the program.

Most summers some fans would arrange a Bowden Cruise. Charles and Sue would transport the Bowdens to the port of entry in their truck which was needed to accommodate the Bowdens. On the cruise Sue assisted the Bowdens as needed.

In her role as “MaMa of the team” she excelled as well. She was like a surrogate mother for many of the players. Occasionally Sue hears from former players who continue to be grateful for what she did for them. One of the former players lists some of the things she helped the players with. The list includes her washing his clothes, loaning him clothing of one of her sons, tacos on Thursday nights, opening her home and heart to him. He concluded with this, “But most of all, thank you for being there for us, whenever we had a problem you were there or needed something done you were there for us. You have been such a big part of so many people’s lives. You will always have a place in our lives.”

Back when members of the Extra Point Club could “adopt a player” she did more than her share of adoptions. Sue would have Charles take some of them fishing. Some never had before. Sue and Charles had a lake place and invited players there for fish fries.

Sue first retired in 1999 but about 2008 Bowden hired her again to finish out his tenure as FSU’s head football coach. Her second stretch was much like the first. She pretty much picked up where she had left off.

During the period between her two terms in football she became the executive director of the Varsity Club which is the club formed for all former FSU athletes. Her main responsibilities there included arranging the Club’s special events and operating the Varsity sky box during football games. With husband Charles’ help, the Varsity Club prospered.

Since her retirement she has continued to assist athletics in a number of ways. She did some work for Seminole Boosters. She has continued her involvement as a member of the Extra Point Club. Once a week she serves as a Greeter at the Moore Center, FSU’s athletic center.

Sue has received some recognition for her services to the university. In 2012 she was inducted into the FSU’s Athletics Hall of Fame, fittingly in the same class as Coach Bowden. She has also received recognition from the FSU Alumni Association by induction into its prestigious Circle of Gold and by the Extra Point Club for over forty years of service.

If you attend almost any FSU sports special event today good chances are that you will see Sue there, often assisting as a volunteer worker. The “Mama of the Team” just keeps on doing things for FSU athletics.

About the author:

Jim Joanos

Memories of Garnet and Gold

Jim Joanos and his wife Betty Lou have deep roots at Florida State University. Avid sports fans, they have literally seen, and done, it all. Fortunately for us, Jim loves telling first-hand accounts dating back to FSU’s first football game, a 1947 clash with the Stetson Hatters on Centennial Field, where Cascades Park is today.

The Osceola will run a series of these colorful stories written by the former Tallahassee lawyer and judge, which we feel our readers will find enlightening and/or nostalgic.

Jim and Betty Lou, who was Associate Director of the FSU Alumni Association (1991-2003), have been married 65 years and are each listed as one of FSU’s 100 Distinguished Graduates. The couple were enshrined in the FSU Hall of Fame in 2015 as Moore-Stone Award Recipients. Ironically, both Deans Moore and Stone were instrumental in the Joanoses career development.

“Both Jim and Betty Lou Joanos have been exemplary fans and supporters of Florida State University, both academically and athletically,” said Andy Miller, retired President and CEO of Seminole Boosters, Inc. “You can’t go to an athletic event of any kind that you don’t see both Jim and Betty Lou Joanos together. They love their university as much as they love each other.”