Let's Talk Hattiesburg/Mississippi Area Sports - Now and Then!

[Olderndaylight]

Yeah! Ollie Yates was the best quarter-back I ever saw play for HHS. From 1950 on. If you didn't see him, you might not agree, but that bunch in '52 smashed EVERYONE 54 to 6, 48 to 0, 60 to 14, and were undefeated going into Laurel on T'Giving. Scored first two possessions. 13-0 in about 6 minutes. Laurel won 33 to 13. If I remember, Yates went out with a broken arm maybe. Rouse was a good one, and the one who went to prison for murder as a hit man, can't recall his name, was good.
Dennis Devrow was playing in the South Big "8" in the old Southern Field House (recently torn down), against Brookhaven. He was known as deadly with a one hand, right hand push shot. He was about 6'2 and 160 pounds as a senior. The whole game he had complained to the refs about Quinton Smith, (Brook Linebacker, about 6'4", around 200) holding the back of Devrow's shorts on rebound attempts. A couple of minutes after the half a rebound was made and the teams started back up the court. Smith took about four steps and hit the floor on his face. Devrow was held down again and as they started back up the court, he caught Smith in the back of the head with a right that could be heard over the crowd noise. It took two refs and several team mates and coaches to restrain Dennis, and get him to
the bench to cool off. They did not eject him because the refs said he had been complaining about it all game. But, both boys got a stern warning. The rest of the game Devrow scored over 15 points with a left hand push shot, and had never shot left handed before. Why? After the game X-rays showed he broke his right hand on Smith's head.

[Olderndaylight]

Yeah! Augustas! Very familiar with the "concrete" San Antonio track. Ran on it for four years, and then started meets for "Buddy" Watkins several years before the stadium track. Then worked meets for him and "Peanuts" Smith until Jerry quit. San Antonio was 40 yards short. The 440 started at the exit of turn four. You had to run 40 yards to the finish line just a little past the end of the (Hawkins end) of the stands, and then still run one complete lap. The 880 started way back at the end of the chute, to the finish line and then two laps. It was terrible mentally to run on.
"Big Sam" H.! I organized what is now the Hub Fins, and coached it for the first four years, and our first meet was against Meridian. Big Sam was their coach, back in 1960. Speaking of swimming reminds me. Not to brag, but someone mentioned Doonie Lippincott. When he was a senior in HHS, he walked past me and pushed me into the Jaycee Pool, (next to HHS at that time) and ran out a gate near the dressing rooms. By the time I got out of the pool, he was going through the gate, about 20 yards away, looking back laughing, knowing that I was going to be coming. As I went out the gate, I heard a couple of his friend say, "He won't catch Doonie!". I have to admit, it took me to about halfway between the Jaycee Park Concession Stand to the Little League ball parks to tackle him. His two friends were really quite when I walked back through the gate with him in a fireman carry over my shoulder, and dumped him into the pool off the board. Just a fun memory.

[Augustus McRae]

Yeah! Augustas! Very familiar with the "concrete" San Antonio track. Ran on it for four years, and then started meets for "Buddy" Watkins several years before the stadium track. Then worked meets for him and "Peanuts" Smith until Jerry quit. San Antonio was 40 yards short. The 440 started at the exit of turn four. You had to run 40 yards to the finish line just a little past the end of the (Hawkins end) of the stands, and then still run one complete lap. The 880 started way back at the end of the chute, to the finish line and then two laps. It was terrible mentally to run on.
"Big Sam" H.! I organized what is now the Hub Fins, and coached it for the first four years, and our first meet was against Meridian. Big Sam was their coach, back in 1960. Speaking of swimming reminds me. Not to brag, but someone mentioned Doonie Lippincott. When he was a senior in HHS, he walked past me and pushed me into the Jaycee Pool, (next to HHS at that time) and ran out a gate near the dressing rooms. By the time I got out of the pool, he was going through the gate, about 20 yards away, looking back laughing, knowing that I was going to be coming. As I went out the gate, I heard a couple of his friend say, "He won't catch Doonie!". I have to admit, it took me to about halfway between the Jaycee Park Concession Stand to the Little League ball parks to tackle him. His two friends were really quite when I walked back through the gate with him in a fireman carry over my shoulder, and dumped him into the pool off the board. Just a fun memory.


Another great set of memories! I lived on Mamie Street, a few blocks from Doonie and played many Sunday afternoons of tackle sandlot football with Donnie and an assortment of characters from our neighborhoods! I spent MANY days at the Jaycee Pool. We could ride our bikes to the pool and for 25 cents spent the entire afternoon of good fun - perfecting the "jack-knife" dive, eating a bag of Rice's Potato Chips and drinking a Barq's Root Beer (total cost 15 cents) and watching our older "heros" and friends! I've spent many days going straight from the JC Pool to little league baseball practice or games across the road/creek where I played for E.W. "Andy" Andersen for several years, then played American Legion ball at the "Greater Hattiesburg Park" as we called it then.

Hattiesburg was a GREAT place to grow up - thanks to people like you! I'm trying to figure out exactly who you are and I'm "zeroing" in on it. I won't mention the possibilities here in case you want to remain anonymous. Maybe my man Dollfus can help me!

Thanks for coming on here. I've REALLY enjoyed your posts. And thanks for mentioning Peanut Smith. He's one of my all time favorite folks. He sells Ridell Equipment now. My son is a high school football coach and buys from him. I enjoy seeing Jerry - one of hte all time good guys!

Big Sam Hollingsworth is retired and living just north of Gulf Shores, Alabama.

[Augustus McRae]

Yeah! Ollie Yates was the best quarter-back I ever saw play for HHS. From 1950 on. If you didn't see him, you might not agree, but that bunch in '52 smashed EVERYONE 54 to 6, 48 to 0, 60 to 14, and were undefeated going into Laurel on T'Giving. Scored first two possessions. 13-0 in about 6 minutes. Laurel won 33 to 13. If I remember, Yates went out with a broken arm maybe. Rouse was a good one, and the one who went to prison for murder as a hit man, can't recall his name, was good.
Dennis Devrow was playing in the South Big "8" in the old Southern Field House (recently torn down), against Brookhaven. He was known as deadly with a one hand, right hand push shot. He was about 6'2 and 160 pounds as a senior. The whole game he had complained to the refs about Quinton Smith, (Brook Linebacker, about 6'4", around 200) holding the back of Devrow's shorts on rebound attempts. A couple of minutes after the half a rebound was made and the teams started back up the court. Smith took about four steps and hit the floor on his face. Devrow was held down again and as they started back up the court, he caught Smith in the back of the head with a right that could be heard over the crowd noise. It took two refs and several team mates and coaches to restrain Dennis, and get him to
the bench to cool off. They did not eject him because the refs said he had been complaining about it all game. But, both boys got a stern warning. The rest of the game Devrow scored over 15 points with a left hand push shot, and had never shot left handed before. Why? After the game X-rays showed he broke his right hand on Smith's head.



Have heard the Ollie Yates stories many times. My man, Bo Dickinson, tells them still today!

The Devrow family was probably the most remarkable family collection of athletes in Hattiesburg history - Dennis, Charlie, Billy, and Bobby. I loved that story you told!

Ricky "Hoe Handle" Donegan (about 1967-68 or so) may have been the best QB I saw at HHS, altough I lived out of the area and missed some after I graduated. Thay had a string of good ones from Ollie Yates, Mac Cochran, Johnny Adams, Buddy and Carey Revels, Mickey Edwards, Danny Geoghagen, Tommy Boutwell, Doug Rouse, Wood Parker, Greg Plump, Donegan, and others. Like I said, I know I'm forgetting some. All of that list became college athletes in one sport or another.

[CircusRide]

I talked to Greg Plump this past summer. I believe he said he's working for the state wildlife dept. or is in some type of forestry (can't remember). He was a heck of a good ballplayer and is a good guy too.

[Wimpy]

This isn't meant to highjack this thread but thought I'd just add my thoughts...

I'm lived here for eight plus years , followed USM, Petal, Hattiesburg, Carey, and JCJC sports. I'm always amazed the there is no sense of history of these proud programs in the local media. Every Tuesday the American spends newspaper space on a boy or girl 13 and under with a profile. But rarely an article about the past "hero's" in the area (except for Favre) or great teams. To learn anything you have to root around on the Internet, and USM pressbooks to find out about it.

Instead of putting pressure on a kid (Tuesday's profile) ...why not use the space to have a "Where Are They Now ?" feature OR "Greatest Team's In The Area" ? These profiles on kids are bad for the kid (highpoint in life was being featured in the local paper at age 10 !!) and probably hurt feelings of the other kids on the team. To use the precious little sports space/time for this is just a poor choice.

USM could do a better job of talking about their history rather than having it always be about Collier and Favre ? I my years of going to games I NEVER have heard anyone talk about times before 1999. Reading John Cox's book was interesting...too bad the history of the other programs isn't better known.

Speaking of which....having seen Purvis Short play with the Warriors many times.....does he live in the area ?

[Augustus McRae]

Don't think Purvis is in the area full time. His brother, Eugene, is.

I never cease to be amazed that the American is likely to lead or "fill" with a NASCAR or pro golf story instead of local interest stories. Just a biased of mine, I guess..

[Wimpy]

Ever get the feeling the Sunday American is mostly put together on Thursday or Friday ? Not just the sports but the whole thing.

I believe you're not biased.....I need the Clarion-Ledger or Sun Herald to supplement the American on a daily basis. Last spring someone showed me some sports pages (the american) from the late 80s-early 90s and they were pretty good. Ahh...the good ole days.

My feeling is no one is really interested in doing a professional job there OR at WDAM. They all just sort of go through the motions....do just so much to get by.

Maybe I'm biased too.

[Kitty]

I never cease to be amazed that the American is likely to lead or "fill" with a NASCAR or pro golf story instead of local interest stories. Just a biased of mine, I guess..

IMO, this is one of the downsides of having our hometown newspaper owned by a large media company.

[Olderndaylight]

Yeah! And have you noticed that the Sunday American cost three times as much, and the only thing that is different is that you get twelve more sale papers than you do in the daily. And they already get paid for delivering the sale papers, and charge you extra for delivering them to you.
And the letter to the Editor? I think if they don't particularly agree with your view, they don't print your letter.

[Olderndaylight]

Back to outstanding athletes, I think to properly compare, you might have to separate schools and time zones. There was a tremendous track team at the new HHS in, I believe the 70's or 80's. And another at the old one in 1956. The old team ran on dirt, grass and cinders, and sometimes mud, with one inch heavy spikes. The new team on rubber surface, never boggy, with light shoes. One sportswriter in the era of the new team researched the old one, and had a column about how close the times of the old team was to those of some 20 years later. Some old times were still better. But, until you could have both teams run at the same ages, on the same surface, in a meet with each other, you cannot say what the outcome would be. And then you had all of the athletes at Eureka. Many outstanding ones there. But, without having competed with them, you would just have to judge them on their own records also. They never ran in todays conditions, or had todays equipment either.
Joe Dogget for instance, ran a 9.8 hundred yards in the 1955 Mid South Relays. Anyone who can run under 10 now in the 100 meters might go to the old San Antonio Track and mark off 100 yards and have someone time them, and see how you come out. I think you will find it a lot more difficult. The same for a 21.7 on a 220, of 50.5 on the quarter. The longer the distance, the more the difficulty. I don't know what kind of time Joe could have run if he had ever trained, got in shape, and run without a bottle in his hand, or on one of today's tracks.
One guy at HHS over the years of '55, '56 placed in the state's top 5 in the 100, 220, 440 (State Record), 880, mile, Cross Country, and 440 and Mile Relays. He held every HHS record at the end of 1956 except the 100, and the hurdles, and did not run the hurdles. And since the distance was changed to metric, he still holds the Freshman 440 yard dash record at USM after over 50 years, and was 3rd in the fastest quarter run in the nation in 1957.
I, like Peanuts Smith, having worked with meets in the area, have seen most of the speedsters over the past 55 years, and there were many then that could compete now. But, many now that could have competed then also.
But, then you can't compare Billy Devrow against Hugh Pepper, or Bubba Phillips. He didn't play against the same defenses. And you really can't compare a high school kids accomplishments against college guys. It's just hard to compare, unless one or two accomplished some type of tremendous record. Like there is no doubt about Ray Guy for instance.
Then too, you would have to say, "Who was the best football coach, and who was the best basketball coach", or whatever sport. If a coach won a state title one year, and you never heard of him again, a coach who had three or four state runner-ups might have been a better coach in that sport. But, there has never been a track coach, or any coach on any level that is better known world wide, than former HHS track coach, Chuck Rohe.

[brandilipp]

Yeah! Augustas! Very familiar with the "concrete" San Antonio track. Ran on it for four years, and then started meets for "Buddy" Watkins several years before the stadium track. Then worked meets for him and "Peanuts" Smith until Jerry quit. San Antonio was 40 yards short. The 440 started at the exit of turn four. You had to run 40 yards to the finish line just a little past the end of the (Hawkins end) of the stands, and then still run one complete lap. The 880 started way back at the end of the chute, to the finish line and then two laps. It was terrible mentally to run on.
"Big Sam" H.! I organized what is now the Hub Fins, and coached it for the first four years, and our first meet was against Meridian. Big Sam was their coach, back in 1960. Speaking of swimming reminds me. Not to brag, but someone mentioned Doonie Lippincott. When he was a senior in HHS, he walked past me and pushed me into the Jaycee Pool, (next to HHS at that time) and ran out a gate near the dressing rooms. By the time I got out of the pool, he was going through the gate, about 20 yards away, looking back laughing, knowing that I was going to be coming. As I went out the gate, I heard a couple of his friend say, "He won't catch Doonie!". I have to admit, it took me to about halfway between the Jaycee Park Concession Stand to the Little League ball parks to tackle him. His two friends were really quite when I walked back through the gate with him in a fireman carry over my shoulder, and dumped him into the pool off the board. Just a fun memory.
Hi all. I know this post is a year old, but I just found it.. I'm Dooney Lippincott's daughter! I just read him the posts, and, just to set the record straight, he said he stopped running so you could catch him after the pool incident!! ;) (If you remember him, obviously he hasn't lost his sense of humor... Ha ha! ) He said he remembers you, Older (initials: R.S. and worked for the postal service??). He would love to know who Augustus is...
Have a great day!
Brandi Lippincott Mitchell<!-- / message -->

[Rainey]

Aw, that's pretty cool. Bringing people together