An historic gathering of Mississippi sports legends highlights the BancorpSouth Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Weekend celebration July 28-29, 2006 with almost half of all living Hall of Famers expected to be in attendance.
The BancorpSouth Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Weekend will consist of two events: the 44th Annual Induction Banquet which will enshrine the members of the Class of 2006 on Friday evening July 28, 2006 at the Hilton of Jackson; and the Meet the Inductees gathering at the Museum on Saturday morning July 29, 2006 from 9:30am-11:00am, featuring inductees from all classes. Also at the Museum Saturday from 11am-12pm, there will be a program tracing the development of the Museum from its beginning in 1991 to the present where Hall of Famers Ralph Boston, Marino Casem and D.D. Lewis will share their favorite Mississippi sports memories.
Saturday evening July 29, 2006 at 7:00pm, the Museum will celebrate its tenth anniversary with a birthday cake, $5000 drawdown and memorabilia auction sponsored by Wells, Moore, Simmons and Hubbard PLLC.
"We're expecting an unusually high turnout of Hall of Famers because it's our tenth anniversary," said Museum Executive Director Michael Rubenstein. "Fifty of the 116 living inductees have committed to attend so far and the total might wind up closer to 60." In addition to Boston, Casem and Lewis, Boo Ferriss, Bailey Howell, Ray Perkins, Marino Casem and W.C. Gorden are among those who have committed to attend. Aubrey Patterson, BancorpSouth Chairman and CEO said, "BancorpSouth is proud to support the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum and its outstanding efforts to showcase Mississippi's rich sports heritage. We congratulate the 2006 Hall of Fame inductees and the Museum on its tenth anniversary."
The 2006 Induction Class consists of former Ole Miss and Colts championship player Ray Brown; tennis coach Billy Chadwick, the winningest coach in Ole Miss athletic history; Lloyd Clark, who guided Delta State to three NCAA women's basketball titles; former star USM quarterback and current broadcaster Vic Purvis; Anton Reel, the first weightlifting inductee; and, former MSU offensive lineman Walt Suggs, a member of the Houston Oilers' all- time 30 year team.
For ticket information to all events, please contact the Museum at 601-982-8264 or 1-800-280-FAME or by e-mail at
SOURCE: BancorpSouth, Inc.
CONTACT: Randy Burchfield of BancorpSouth, Inc., +1-662-620-4302; or
Michael Rubenstein of Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum,
+1-800-280-FAME
Web site: http://www.bancorpsouth.com/