Writer’s note: One thing I’ve learned in 50 years of covering Mississippi sports and especially in four and a half years at your Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame: In Mississippi, there’s always a “next.” What I mean is a next superstar, no matter the sport. Cam Akers of Clinton High is one of those… This […]
By Bill Blackwell I am sure most of you are aware by now that Rick Cleveland, our former Executive Director is going back to the profession he loves, journalism. Rick started writing professionally at the tender age of 13 and has been gracing us with his wit and wisdom ever sense. Almost 5 years […]
Fifty years ago next month, I covered my first football game for the Hattiesburg American. Brooklyn, now Forrest County AHS, played Lucedale, now George County. Some days I can’t remember my phone number, but I can remember that score: Lucedale 12, Brooklyn 0. And I vividly remember the circumstances. At 13, I had no driver’s […]
When I was a kid in Hattiesburg, we took both New Orleans newspapers at our home. Peter Finney, who died this morning at 88, wrote columns for the afternoon States Item. I could not wait to read his work. He was informative, he was funny. He was conversational. Reading him was almost like sitting […]
WEST POINT — In 1541, Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto’s expedition passed through or near here, moving westward through what became known as the Black Prairie in search of gold and silver. He found the Mississippi River instead. DeSoto crossed the nearby Tombigbee River, which scarcely prepared him for the mighty Mississippi a few weeks […]
In Mississippi, we knew Brett Favre long before he started an NFL record 321 consecutive games, long before he threw 508 NFL touchdowns, and long before he threw for nearly 72,000 yards. We knew No. 4 before became a three-time NFL MVP, before he was an 11-time Pro Bowler, before he played through injuries that […]
Former Mississippi State tight end C.J. Sirmones was shot and killed July 26 in Lawrence County, Tenn. State fans best remember Sirmones for his game-tying catch against Ole Miss in the 1999 Egg Bowl. A reader asked if I could post my column from the next day’s newspaper. From the Nov. 26, 1999 Clarion-Ledger. STARKVILLE […]
GRETNA, La. — At Billy Turner’s Memorial Service today, preachers spoke eloquently of his passion for Jesus Christ, his family, the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Braves – in pretty much that order. They could also have talked about his passion for high school football, newspapers, music and good storytelling. Billy was passionate about […]
