Harold Steelman, a lineman on the University of Arkansas' 1954 Southwest Conference football championship team known as "The 25 Little Pigs" and who was the longtime War Memorial Stadium manager, died Saturday, according to an obituary posted by Roller-Chenal Funeral Home. He was 87.
Steelman was born in Pine Bluff on Nov. 30, 1933, and graduated from Pine Bluff High School, where he played football. He also played football for Little Rock Junior College (now the University of Arkansas at Little Rock) and transferred to Arkansas, where he lettered in football in 1954-55.
After graduating from Arkansas, Steelman became a high school coach for Texarkana, Lewisville and El Dorado. He then was a college assistant coach for Red Parker at the University of Arkansas-Monticello, The Citadel and Clemson.
Steelman was the head football coach at Arkansas Tech University from 1980-85, then was the War Memorial Stadium manager for 12 years before retiring in 1999.
Steelman was inducted into the Arkansas-Monticello Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and received the President's Award from UALR in 2012.