Booster Says Yeoman Gave $500 to Players

A University of Houston booster told attorneys investigating the school’s football program that former coach Bill Yeoman gave football players as much as $500 and promised to pay athletes if they performed well on the field, according to documents released Monday.

Frank Terry, an investor and former president of the school’s intercollegiate athletic council, told a Houston law firm hired to conduct an internal investigation that he gave Yeoman money, possibly as early as the 1982 season, to be dispersed to players.

Terry contradicted Yeoman’s claims that the payments were small. In documents released last week, Yeoman admitted having occasionally given players money, but that it was never more than about $35, and then only for “humanitarian” reasons.

Several former players claimed that starters received $500 each season and that some players received more. Terry, in his interview with attorneys last April, confirmed that players received more than $35.

“(Terry)) said that the way the system worked was that all of the players who came in early got between $250 and $500, depending on need,” the documents said. “The money was given at practice in cash to Yeoman, and was subsequently distributed to the players.”

The memo was the last of a group of documents made public after Atty. Gen. Jim Mattox ruled that the university must release details of the investigation.

The investigation was begun after several former players said that, while on the team, they had received cash and bought gasoline with school credit cards. Former players also cited payments for a wedding, an abortion and rent, all in violation of National Collegiate Athletic Assn. rules.

Scott Chafin, the University of Houston system counsel, said that the school was continuing its investigation and that all material compiled would be sent to the NCAA.

Terry told the investigators that one year Yeoman could not raise the $16,000 to $18,000 necessary for the payments quickly enough and went to a bank to borrow the money.

Terry also said that “one friend of Yeoman’s purportedly gave Yeoman an oil well, the royalties of which were used for payments.”

The document indicated that Terry also was aware of violations at both Texas Christian and Southern Methodist--schools that are now on NCAA probation.

Yeoman, who retired last season after 25 years as coach, could not be reached for comment. He said last week he would not comment on any aspect of the investigation or the released documents. After his retirement, Yeoman took a $100,000 fund-raising position with the school.

University officials also declined comment.

Terry confirmed in the documents that cash payments were made by members of the coaching staff to football players.

“(Terry) said he could not prove any of the transactions since all of them were cash transactions,” the memo said. “However, he said that the coaches kept asking for $1,000 here and there.”

Terry said that he was involved in three money-raising efforts with six to eight other people who contributed funds.

Terry said he first gave money, $3,000, to Yeoman before the 1982 or 1983 season.

The second year, Terry said he gave $4,000 and told investigators “this money was then paid to the players who were living at the Holiday Inn while working during August,” the document said.

The third time Terry gave money, according to the documents, was during the 1984 season while Yeoman was trying to “get everything under control. He told players at the beginning of the ’84 season that the tradition of receiving money at the beginning of the season was over and that they would not receive any money unless they produced,” the documents said.

When the Cougars beat Texas in 1984, the group started raising money again, and there was a “request” based on Yeoman’s promise at the beginning of the year that they (players) would receive $250 to $500 if they produced during the season.

But the money had “dried up” and Yeoman could not raise the $16,000 to $18,000 necessary, Terry said. Yeoman then went to a bank and borrowed the money, the document said.