Paul "Sparky" Adams was inducted into the Baldwin Wallace University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1975.  He was a legendary head coach in the sports of cross country and track and field coach at Baldwin-Wallace College from 1951 until he retired from coaching in 1983. Sparky was an outstanding educator at the College in its Division of Health & Physical Education. He also was a distinguished member of the Army during World War II in Europe and received a Purple Heart.

Sparky was one of the most successful cross country and track and field coaches in Ohio Athletic Conference history. He compiled a career track dual meet record of 89-39 and led 23 Yellow Jacket men's cross country and track and field teams to OAC championships. He also mentored 37 NCAA College Division (until 1972) and NCAA Division III All-American student-athletes. In addition, a number of his cross country and track teams had Top-10 finishes at national championship meets.

Sparky was the President of the National Collegiate Athletic Association College Division Cross-Country Coaches Association in 1975-1976 and also the President of the NCAA College Division Track Coaches Association. In 1971, Coach Adams was named the Cleveland Track Association Man of the Year.

A native of Newark, Ohio, Sparky graduated with Honors from BW in 1941, received his master's degree from The Ohio State University in 1943, and did additional graduate work at Case Western Reserve University. A member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity as a student at BW, Sparky received the BW Alumni Merit Award in 1977, and in 1979, he was named as the Beckberger Award winner for Human Development.

Coach Adams returned to his alma mater to coach in 1951 after a successful high school coaching career at Johnstown (Ohio) and Newark (Ohio) high schools and at Ohio Athletic Conference rival Muskingum University (then Muskingum College). He returned to BW as an assistant professor of health and physical education and as an assistant coach in football, basketball and track.

In 1954, Sparky was named head football coach, but relinquished that job in 1958 to become the head coach of cross country and track while remaining as an assistant football coach. BW was 8-24-1 during his four seasons as football coach.

In 1962, Sparky was the Fulbright Lecturer in Bangkok, Thailand. He wrote a handbook of basketball fundamentals for coaches and players that was translated into Thai. He also helped coach the Thai National Track Team in preparation for the '62 Asian Games. He also served as the physical education teacher to the Thai Roral Family. He also served the U.S. State Department in Beruit, Lebanon.

In his honor, each spring, BW hosts the Annual Paul "Sparky" Adams Track & Field Meet at The George Finnie Stadium.

Adams, who was a member of the United Methodist Church of Berea, passed away in July of 1986.