EVENTS: NORTHEAST
EVENTS: OXFORD
68
MLK Day of Service
Martin Luther King Dinner
Princess Ball Fiber Arts Festival
OXFORD: Ole Miss baseball is ready to defend its national championship title, and fans can’t wait to watch. Read about Hunter Elliott (pictured) and more players to watch on page 28.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY OLE MISS ATHLETICS
NORTHEAST: Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff is a north Mississippi native and makes his home in Saltillo during the offseason. We catch up with him on page 50.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM
Young Ole Miss baseball players and prospects reflect on the 2022 national championship and embrace the opportunity to play at their dream school.
34 The Ford Center Turns 20
A special space for performing arts, the Ford Center commemorates its 20th anniversary this month with a gala, a book and many memories.
An impressive Booneville teen is heading to Ole Miss to pitch for the Lady Rebels softball team.
The Kessinger family reflects on their shared love for the sport of baseball.
Northeast Mississippi native Brandon Woodruff reflects on his notable life in major league baseball.
More than 20 baseball players from Mississippi schools were selected in the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft in July.
I am convinced that Ole Miss is a baseball school. Recently, someone mentioned that hundreds of students lined up tents, couches, grills, and more and waited in line for more than 72 hours to get their perfect seat for the 2023 season. I had to see it. So, Wednesday morning, before the gates opened on Friday at 1 p.m., I drove down to the stadium. Sure enough, hundreds of students were waiting outside for Friday at 1 p.m. Right then, I knew Ole Miss was officially a baseball school.
This issue is for those young and old who love the game and the thrill of the season. Big dreams of a major league career or just hitting a home run over a fence, make no mistake, the love of the game is alive.
We hope you will read all the stories of players highlighted on these pages. It was fun finding and telling the stories of the great American game and from those who have done it so well.
PUBLISHER
Rachel West
EDITORIAL
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Emily Welly
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Leslie Criss
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Hollie Hilliard
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Ole Miss baseball fans: Want to relive the historic 2022 season? Rewatch “Belief,” the documentary film produced by Ole Miss Sports Productions last fall that reflects how the Rebels got to — and won — the
2022 national championship. The film has been viewed more than 207,000 times on YouTube. Find it at olemisssports.com/sports/baseball or on the Ole Miss Rebels YouTube channel.
The doors of the sanctuary swing open…
LOCATION: Oxford Square
USERNAME: @leahyazzy
Before.
LOCATION: Isom Place
USERNAME: @shurdenpileggi
Turn to page 34 for a look back at some of the most memorable moments at the Ford Center over the past 20 years. See upcoming Ford Center events, buy tickets or pledge support to the performing arts center by visiting fordcenter.org.
The seasons are a-changing, and we are ready for springtime flavors. Visit invitationmag.com this month for recipes for Green Goddess Dip and Raspberry Limeade. And turn to page 26 for our original take on a recent recipe trend: the Butter Board!
Have an exciting event coming up? Visit our website and share the details on our online community calendar. Photos from your event might be featured in an upcoming magazine!
We couldn’t stop talking about this food from @ eat_saint_leo!!
LOCATION: Saint Leo Restaurant
USERNAME: @snackinwithsarah
OLE MISS VS. SOUTHERN MISS
March 7 | 6:30 p.m.
OLE MISS VS. PURDUE
March 10 | 6:30 p.m.
March 11 | 1:30 p.m.
March 12 | 1:30 p.m.
OLE MISS VS. ARKANSAS PINE BLUFF
MARCH 1-5
Screen short and feature-length films in both showcase and competition settings at this highly anticipated, family-friendly event, celebrating its 20th year. More information and complete schedule available online. The Powerhouse. ox-film.com
March 21 | 6:30 p.m.
OLE MISS VS. FLORIDA
March 24 | 6:30 p.m.
March 25 | 1:30 p.m.
March 26 | 1:30 p.m.
MARCH 7
Acclaimed string quartet brings energy, joy and warmth to the stage. Tickets start at $15 for general public; $10 for students. 7:30 p.m., the Ford Center.
fordcenter.org
MARCH 3-4
MARCH 3-5
The Lady Rebels host the Ole Miss Classic tournament, taking on Missouri State, Mount St. Mary’s and Southeast Missouri in six games over the weekend. Schedule and scores available online. olemisssports.com
Find gently used children’s clothing, furniture, toys and books plus baby gear and maternity items at this anticipated consignment sale. Volunteers and consignors shop during presale hours Friday evening; general public shops
8 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday (half-price sales start at 4 p.m.) Details available online. Oxford Activity Center.
oxfordweecycle.com
MARCH 25
A gala celebrating the Ford Center’s 20th anniversary includes Sam and Mary Haskell receiving the Concerto Award; a performance by gala headliners, eight-time Grammy Award winners Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr.; plus celebrity appearances by Morgan Freeman, Christine Baranski, Gerald McRaney, Delta Burke, Bellamy Young, Kathy Ireland, Pedro Segundo, Guy Hovis, Laurie Gayle Stephenson and the Mississippians Jazz Ensemble, directed by Dr. Michael Worthy.
7:30 p.m., the Ford Center. Read more about the Ford Center in our tribute on page 34.
fordcenter.org
MARCH 25
Superhero 5K and fun run benefits Court
Appointed Special Advocates of North Mississippi. 8 a.m., Avent Park. casaofnorthmississippi.com
MARCH 29-31
This year’s conference opens with a concert by author-songwriter Charlie Parr at Proud Larry’s. The event also features educational sessions led by a host of acclaimed authors and includes the Children’s Book Festival on Friday. See website for details. oxfordconferenceforthebook.com
MARCH 30
The classic musical comedy comes to Oxford. Tickets start at $30; $24 for students. 7:30 p.m., the Ford Center. fordcenter.org
APRIL 1
Junior Auxiliary of Oxford presents “Spring Fling,” a celebration of funds raised to meet the needs of Oxford and Lafayette County’s underserved families. Tickets available online. 2-6 p.m., the Powerhouse. jaofoxford.com
MARCH 4-5
This multigenre event includes an impressive Exhibitors’ Hall, a cosplay contest, special guests and more. Purchase presale weekend passes online, $20 for adults; $10 for ages 6-12; free for ages 5 and under. Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday noon-6 p.m., Tupelo Furniture Market. tupelocon.org
MARCH 4-5
Monster trucks smash and crash over rugged terrain. Tickets $20-$50. 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m. Sunday, Cadence Bank Arena. cb-arena.com
MARCH 11
Junior Auxiliary of Amory hosts a Kentucky Derby-themed Charity Ball. The event includes dinner and dancing, a raffle, silent auction, live music by Bonfire Orchestra Band and the 2023 Outstanding Citizen will be named. Tickets available online. 6 p.m., Old Armory, Amory. jaofamory.com
MARCH 12
Christian concert features We the Kingdom, Jeremy Camp, Anne Wilson and more. Tickets $15. 5 p.m., Cadence Bank Arena. cb-arena.com
MARCH 24
Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association and Mitchell Distributing host the 8th annual Bud & Burgers competition. Tickets, sold at the gate, include samples of all
burgers and the opportunity to vote for the “People’s Choice” winner. 6-9 p.m., 108 S. Broadway St., Tupelo. tupelomainstreet.com
MARCH 25
Celebrate the Tupelo Spirit by volunteering to beautify the community during this event (formerly known as 10 for Tupelo). Sign up to participate online. Volunteers meet in Fairpark for a pep rally at 9 a.m. before working from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
facebook.com/10fortupelo
MARCH 25
The North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra presents viola virtuoso Brett Duebner performing a concerto by German composer Carl Friedrich Zelter along with other selections. Tickets $10-$30. 7:30 p.m., Link Centre. nmsymphony.com
A new baseball/softball field complex at Oxford High School is the final phase of a 2017 voter-approved bond referendum for Oxford School District.
Other projects completed earlier are Central Elementary School and a new Fine Arts Building at OHS.
A grand opening/ribbon cutting for the complex was held Feb. 4, with both baseball and softball scrimmage games following. Both Charger teams have recently begun their inaugural seasons in their new facilities.
Chris Baughman, OHS co-activities director, talked about the new complex with great excitement. Both fields have turf infields; the outfields are still grass.
“We have an updated press box, of course,” Baughman said. “There’s a building that contains locker rooms for both baseball and softball players, coaches’ offices, a laundry room and a shared weight room that can accommodate 30 kids.”
Behind the building is a covered practice facility the teams can share.
were two performers and 14 in attendance.
“Right now, we are trying different days,” said Leesha Faulkner, museum director. “At some point we may come up with a set date each month or we may swap days. This is an idea we’ve played with for a while. Elizabeth Russell with the Convention & Visitors Bureau helped make it a reality.”
If you think you hear melodious sounds coming from Tupelo’s Oren Dunn City Museum in the early evening, chances are it’s not your imagination.
Once a month, the museum in Ballard Park hosts a Singer/Songwriter Jam Session. The first jam session was in January. There
You don’t have to sing or play professionally to be a part of the evening. All are welcome.
“These events are for anyone who loves music or writes or performs,” said Leesha Falkner, museum director. “Folks can share their talents as they see fit, or if they prefer, they can choose to just talk about where their love of music has taken them.”
“One afternoon I was out there and saw member of the softball team practicing hitting while members of the baseball team were practicing pitching on the other side of the facility,” Baughman said.
An updated concessions area will soon have some additional technology that will allow games to be livestreamed.
“The new facility is very nice,” Baughman said. “We are very blessed to have gotten it. I’m a little biased as a former coach, but this was well deserved.”
The museum started the jam sessions for several reasons, Falkner said.
“First, we are the birthplace of Elvis Presley,” she said. “It’s only fitting that we encourage others to explore their gifts.
“Second, music creates community — harmony, if you will. And, to paraphrase an old commercial, what if we could, ‘teach the world to sing.’
“Third, we enjoy a get-together.”
Also in the planning stages after the annual Dudie’s Burger Festival (which takes place from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. May 6), is the inaugural Singer/Songwriter Festival. Look for more details as they develop.
Visit orendunncitymuseum.com or the museum’s Facebook page for more details.
For lovers of the work of Mississippi folk artist Theora Hamblett, you have the entirety of 2023 to visit the University of Mississippi Museum at University Avenue and S. 5th Street in Oxford and spend time among her colorful artwork.
The exhibit, “Friends of Theora” will be on display throughout 2023. Those familiar with the artist’s canvases, covered with her images of Mississippi countrysides or treescapes popping with color, will not be disappointed.
The lifelong Lafayette County resident, who died at the age of 82 in 1977, drew inspiration from Oxford’s community of artists. Many of those works that inspired her will also be on display.
“People think of Theora as self-taught, as a loner, a spinster, but she was actually a part of this vibrant community of artists,” said Melanie Antonelli, curator and collections manager at the UM Museum.
Hamblett took art classes at night at Ole Miss. When she died, many of her drawings and paintings were given to Ole Miss and are now part of the museum’s large collection.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Learn more about it at museum.olemiss.edu.
Have you built a butter board yet? This twist on the ever-popular charcuterie board, which started as a TikTok trend last fall, has taken on a life of its own. Try our version with pistachios and orange zest for a springtime treat. Add homemade Green Goddess Dip with fresh veggies and tart Raspberry Limeade (recipes online) for a complete appetizer spread.
16 ounces high-quality salted butter, such as Kerrygold, at room temperature
3-4 tablespoons orange marmalade
¼ cup honey
½ cup chopped pistachios
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
1-2 tablespoons orange zest
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Using a spoon, scoop and spread butter directly onto a serving board or platter. Create a layer of butter, ¼- to ½-inch thick. Spoon orange marmalade onto the butter, spacing dollops of marmalade several inches apart. Drizzle honey evenly over the top. Sprinkle evenly with pistachios, crumbled feta, orange zest and kosher salt. Serve with crusty bread.
you forget the big game behind you and take care of the business in front of you if you want to keep on winning. Way easier said than done, for those who lived through last year’s extraordinary baseball season that ended with Ole Miss as the national collegiate champion.
“It was awesome,” sophomore pitcher Hunter Elliott said. “Ole Miss hadn’t been since 2014. To bring home a national championship was huge: It was a surreal experience. I started the final game.”
BACK TO THE WELL WHERE YOU TOOK YOUR FIRST SIP OF BASEBALL, WHICH HELPS YOU REMEMBER THAT DREAMS TAKE LOTS OF HARD WORK TO COME TRUE.
For some young players, the dream is just beginning.
Take Bo Gatlin, who this year starts his first season at Ole Miss as an infielder. Gatlin grew up watching his father, Guy Gatlin, play baseball at Ole Miss.
Bo earned three letters at Oxford High School (he also played football and basketball) and captained the baseball team his senior year. After graduating in 2019, he took what he called “a kind of sideways journey.”
His college baseball career started at Southeastern Louisiana University. It hit a bump when the COVID-19 pandemic
paused the season and Gatlin had to have arm surgery. Then he went north to Meridian Community College, where he played for two years. Gatlin was named a Division II All-American in 2022, hitting .411.
Encouragement from family and coaches played a big part in his journey to Ole Miss, Gatlin said, and, as the season starts, he knows his mindset will be a key to success as he adjusts to life in the Southeastern Conference.
“It was always a dream,” Gatlin said, but “I’ve still got to work and play baseball. I can’t think of it as a dream. It’s definitely a jump for me. Everything’s a little faster here. The difference here is that every single player is good.”
Continued on page 30
Tim Elko. Justin Bench. Kevin Graham. Brandon Johnson. Dylan DeLucia. Hayden Dunhurst. Derek Diamond. These seven Ole Miss baseball stars, who became household names last summer during the team’s run to win the College World Series, were drafted into the pros and are now listed on minor league rosters. Fans may miss those favorites, but this full roster of talented players is ready to take the field and defend the national championship title.
#1 #2 #4 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #12
CALVIN HARRIS [C/OF]
T.J. MCCANTS [OF/IF]
REAGAN BURFORD [IF]
JACOB GONZALEZ [IF]
BO GATLIN [IF]
ETHAN LEGE [IF]
ETHAN GROFF [OF]
KEMP ALDERMAN [OF/C]
LIST CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
Some players are so good they carry a college-sized reputation through high school. At least that’s what’s happening to Campbell Smithwick, the senior catcher at OHS and a top-tier Ole Miss recruit.
Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, Smithwick later moved with his family to South Carolina. He made a verbal commitment to Ole Miss in 2020, then relocated to Oxford. After helping the OHS Chargers win the North Half championship last season, Smithwick played for a Team USA Under-18 squad that won a gold medal
at the U-18 Baseball World Americas Cup Qualifier in La Paz, Mexico.
Smithwick signed his official college commitment on his phone while he was in Mexico, he said. He seems to have adjusted to a young life filled with scouts, publicity and big plans by learning to keep his mind on the game instead of who might be watching.
“It’s one of those things where you never really know who’s in the stands. You get locked in and you don’t lose that until after the fact,” Smithwick said, adding that it won’t be that hard to keep his focus on this year’s season with OHS, either.
“I fell in love with Oxford High School as much as I did with Ole Miss,” Smithwick said. “It’s going to be hard to look past this year.”
Knowing that college baseball waits in his future, though, has pushed Smithwick to amp up his training regimen, which he doesn’t mind in the slightest.
“It’s not a grind,” he said. “It’s what we love to do.”
Hunter Elliott, one of the big stars in last year’s College World Series, could not agree more.
“I’ve always had the largest passion for baseball,” said Elliott, who had an epiphany about baseball in his teen years.
“When I was 15, we won (a national
LIST CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29
JORDAN VERA [RHP]
TIM SIMAY [IF]
WILL PLATTNER [C]
JOHN KRAMER [OF]
MITCH MURRELL [RHP]
MATT PARENTEAU [RHP]
ANTHONY CALARCO [IF]
J.T. QUINN [RHP]
TOMMY HENNINGER [RHP]
JOSH MALLITZ [RHP]
JACKSON KIMBRELL [LHP]
GRAYSON SAUNIER [RHP]
HUNTER ELLIOTT [LHP]
JUDD UTERMARK [IF]
BANKS TOLLEY [OF]
BRADY DISBRO [RHP]
XAVIER RIVAS [LHP]
RILEY MADDOX [RHP]
WILL FURNISS [IF]
MASON MORRIS [IF/RHP]
PATRICK GALLE [RHP]
JACK DOUGHERTY [RHP]
GARRETT WOOD [IF]
COLE KETCHUM [RHP]
COLE TOLBERT [RHP]
MASON NICHOLS [RHP]
BRAYDEN JONES [RHP]
SAM TOOKIOAN [RHP]
NATHAN FINK [OF]
TYWONE MALONE [IF]
championship) in Atlanta,” he said. “I was like, ‘This is what I want to do.’”
The 6-3, 205-pound lefthanded pitcher, an Amory native and Tupelo High School graduate, had quite the freshman season in 2022.
Playing travel baseball in Louisiana before he came to Ole Miss, Elliott blinked, and he found himself pitching under the biggest spotlight in college baseball. Elliott finished second in the pitching rotation in earned runs and strikeouts and notched impressive postseason numbers, allowing two runs and striking out six in the final game. Elliott
made College Baseball News’ 2023 Preseason All-America team.
A four-time letterman in high school and once tabbed the state’s fourth best player, Elliott said it was a no-brainer about where he wanted to play college ball.
“It was always Ole Miss,” he said. “It was my first offer, and I knew it was the place for me.”
And now it falls to him and the rest of the fellas to help Ole Miss carry last year’s momentum into a new season, which isn’t quite as hard when you approach every day as a challenge, Elliott said. “You don’t feel that different,” he said. “You’re just hungry for more.”
LIST CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30
#5 #15 #30 #36
MIKE BIANCO HEAD COACH
CARL LAFFERTY ASSISTANT COACH
MIKE CLEMENT ASSISTANT COACH
CHRIS CLEARY VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT COACH
SAM SLAVIK DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
CHRIS GOUDORAS DIRECTOR OF ANALYTICS
JOSH PORTER SENIOR ATHLETIC TRAINER
JOHN CARELLO STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING
Turn to page 54 for a complete look at Mississippi players who were picked up in the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft.
A SPECIAL SPACE FOR PERFORMING ARTS, THE FORD CENTER COMMEMORATES ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY THIS MONTH WITH A GALA, A BOOK AND MANY MEMORIES.
�hen nearing the University Avenue entrance onto the University of Mississippi campus, just to the right looms a large and stately building, six stories in total — three above ground and three below. The Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts boasts 88,000 square feet that include a primary performance hall bearing the name of Ole Miss alums Sam and Mary Donnelly Haskell; a studio theater named for Mississippi’s Mary Ann Mobley and her husband, actor Gary Collins; administrative offices; and performance support facilities.
Thanks to a generous gift in 1991 from the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation in Jackson, the stage was set for the creation of an arts center on the campus. Under the leadership of Chancellor Robert Khayat, the dream became a reality, and on March 28, 2003, the official opening of the Ford Center was marked by an inaugural gala hosted by Khayat and emceed by Mississippian Morgan Freeman.
The Sam and Mary Haskell Theatre seats 1,169, and there’s truly not a bad seat in the house. The acoustics have been lauded by folks in the know.
“When Renee Fleming was here and her pianist was practicing,” Julia Aubrey, director of the Center, said, “he stopped playing and said, ‘I wish the acoustics at the Kennedy Center were as good as they are here.’”
This treasured space has made a place for the creative arts from as close by as campus to traveling companies and individual artists from well beyond Mississippi.
“The Ford Center hosts more than 150 events each year beyond the touring shows featured in our annual season,” Aubrey said. “This includes arts-focused events such as university ensemble
performances, pageants, lectures and special events.”
And now, 20 years after the Ford Center opened its doors, an anniversary gala is slated for March 25. It will once again be emceed by Academy Award-winner Morgan Freeman; the Haskells will receive the Ford Center’s Concerto Award for their extraordinary support of the arts and patronage of the Ford Center; headliners will be Grammy winners Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr.; and there will be appearances by Debbie Allen, Gerald McRaney and Delta Burke, Christine Baranski, Guy Hovis and more.
As a special commemoration of the Ford Center’s first two decades, Aubrey is editing a book that will include lots of contributed stories, many photographs and even the story of the raccoons that took up residence during the construction of the Ford Center. The plan is for the book to be printed in time for the gala.
To list every event that has taken place in the Ford Center these past 20 years would be quite an endeavor, but with a bit of help from Aubrey and Ford Center assistant director of marketing, Kate Meacham, we’ve put together a list of some of them.
The official opening of the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. The 2003 gala was produced by Sam Haskell, Mary Donnelly Haskell performed and a dozen university ensembles from the Ole Miss departments of music and theater were also featured.
Continued on page 36
Continued from page 35
Ole Miss hosted the first debate of the election season between John McCain, Republican senator from Arizona, and Barack Obama, Democrat senator from Illinois. The debate, broadcast live, was moderated by Jim Lehrer of PBS. Ole Miss and Oxford hosted journalists from all over the world.
The renowned Dance Theatre of Harlem, originally founded in New York City at the height of the Civil Rights Movement in 1969, visited the Ford Center as part of an anniversary tour.
The annual festival continued for 12 years, with its final nine years hosted by the Ford Center. The festival offered a local taste of summer theater, normally producing and presenting three shows, not exclusively by Shakespeare.
With a history dating to the 1400s, the renowned Vienna Boys Choir performed traditional and popular arrangements on the Ford Center stage.
The Russian National Ballet Theatre, founded in Moscow in the late 1980s, performed a ballet set to a rousing score and based on Miguel de Cervantes’ famous “Don Quixote de la Mancha.”
About 1,000 people attended the event hosted by the University of Mississippi School of Law. Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Antonin Scalia told stories about law school experiences, their legal careers and much more. It was moderated by Jack Nowlin, a law professor.
The University of Mississippi was the only college in Mississippi chosen to host the original Shakespeare First Folio monthlong exhibit. The national touring exhibition celebrated 400 years of Shakespeare. The First Folio was created in 1623, seven years after the Bard’s death in 1616. It contains 36 plays.
Renowned soprano Renee Fleming’s visit to the university included a recital, a panel discussion — Music & the Mind — a masterclass and more. Fleming is the winner of four Grammy Awards and, in 2013, she received the highest honor for an artist, a National Medal of Arts. As former director of opera theatre at Ole Miss, Aubrey counts Fleming’s visit among her personal favorites. “I even got to take her shoe shopping,” she said.
Twenty years of concerts makes for an impressive and lengthy list. Here’s just a brief look at some of the famous artists who’ve shared their voices with audiences from the Ford Center stage: Judy Collins, B.B. King, Dolly Parton, Percy Sledge, Chuck Mangione, Mavis Staples, Roseanne Cash, Lyle Lovett, Kenny Loggins, Amy Grant, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin, Michael Bolton.
As with concerts, Broadway productions that visited the Ford Center have been many. Here are a few: “Mame,” “Cats,” “The Color Purple,” “Mamma Mia!” “Jersey Boys,” “Waitress,” “The Addams Family.”
Avisit with 17-year-old Hallie Burns of Booneville uncovers some interesting details about the brown-eyed softball pitching phenom. While she’s dedicated to being the best she can be on the softball field, Burns balances sports, education and life’s extras like a pro.
As a little girl, Burns discovered her first passion which she pursued until fifth grade — gymnastics. She also found time for Park & Rec basketball, soccer and softball. But when her next-door-neighbor Madison Weatherbee introduced her to pitching, Burns found another passion. Her dad had reached out to Weatherbee to ask if she’d give his daughter pitching lessons.
“I remember vividly our first lesson,” said Weatherbee, now a 27-year-old English teacher at Booneville Middle School. “She showed up at the field with no cleats. She was wearing Chaco sandals for her first pitching lesson. And we went from there.”
Weatherbee, who played softball at BHS and for two years at Northeast Mississippi Community College, worked with Burns for several years. And though she has two young daughters, she still makes as many of Burns’ games as she possibly can.
“Hallie is always so excited, so happy doing whatever she’s doing,” Weatherbee
said. “I have never seen her not smiling. She is like a little sister to me, and I’m so proud of her.”
Burns, a Booneville High School senior, is a self-proclaimed “big history buff.” She loves it. In fact, she was the recipient of the American History Award for the highest average in Advanced Placement history class. She is also a member of the math, science and Spanish clubs and a member of the Spanish Honor Society.
In addition to academics, Burns stays busy as a member of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) and Fellowship of Christian Athletes since ninth grade. Burns is senior class president, was homecoming queen, a National Honor Society member and made 29 on her ACT. She loves shoes and admits to having a Nike fetish, owning at least 40 pairs. Her favorite food is crab legs, and she’s not at all ashamed to admit she once ate 120 legs at one sitting. And it should come as no surprise the pitcher who on Sept. 1, 2021, committed to play softball for Ole Miss after high school is partial to the color powder blue.
Burns is laid-back and patient and seems to believe good things will come to those who wait. Nothing serves as better
proof of these qualities than the way she dealt with the recruiting process.
College coaches may begin talking with recruits on Sept. 1 of their junior year in high school, which means if a coach wants to start talking at one minute after midnight on Sept. 1, that’s absolutely fine. Burns had a test at BHS that day — Sept. 1, 2021. So the night before, she’d studied and had gone to sleep, not really giving much thought to anything but her test. Conversely, her father was a nervous wreck and got little sleep.
“I woke up that morning with him in panic mode, standing over me and trying to get me up,” she said. “He was so mad at me.”
Her father takes over the explanation.
“I could not get her up,” he said. “On her cell phone, she had a missed call received at 12:03 a.m. Instead of calling back immediately, she said she would call later.”
Burns nods her head in agreement.
“That’s right. I went to school, and I took my test,” she said.
Her dad keeps a copy of the voicemail on his phone and plays it proudly for anyone who asks about it. It’s Ole Miss pitching coach Ryker Chason inviting Hallie Burns to be a part of the Lady Rebels softball team. She did return the call later on Sept. 1 and verbally committed to Ole Miss. A little
more than a year later in Nov. 2022, Burns officially signed with the team.
It’s abundantly clear Junior Burns is proud of all three of his children, son Cory, daughter Kara and Hallie — and 6-year-old granddaughter Avie. Of all the attributes of his youngest, he mostly appreciates her focus and her faith.
“She stays focused,” he said. “That’s not always easy. The thing I’m most proud of is that she’s a strong Christian.”
Burns’ ability to stay focused has paid off in the game of softball. As sophomore pitcher of the Booneville Lady Blue Devils, Burns helped lead her team to the first state
title game appearance in program history. That was in 2021, when Booneville became 3A state champions. A year later in 2022, the softball team repeated their championship win, and, also in ’22, The Lady Blue Devils basketball team brought home the state title for the first time in six years. Burns is a member of that team too.
Burns has consistently had strong support from her family, especially in her softball endeavors. Her mom, Jennifer, and her dad, well known for his pitch coaching, have made sure their young daughter has learned as much as possible.
“They have taken me to lessons everywhere,” Burns said. “Three hours away to Jonesboro, Arkansas, and to Alabama.”
Burns has been taught Tincher Pitching Development which is a system of pitching that looks at the whole athlete and designs ways help avoid injury, remove frustrations and pave a path toward success. She also trains three times a week remotely with S2 Breakthrough, a softball training facility outside Chicago.
“One of the hardest things is for an athlete to try to master pitching,” Junior Burns said.
The relationship between dad and daughter is a close one for the Burnses. But the dynamics can be difficult when dad/ daughter becomes coach/pitcher.
“Coaching your child can be hard,” Junior Burns said. “It’s hard to separate the two — coach and dad.”
His daughter agrees.
“Starting in the fifth grade, I’m not lying, if I could tell he was not happy with something I did, I cried,” she said. “But when I started playing school ball and had Coach (Jessica) Taylor who was tough and very serious, my dad was easy after playing for her. Honestly, one of the things I am most
proud of is winning Coach Taylor’s trust. She has given me so much support.”
These days, Burns helps her dad coach pitching to others at Parker Sportsplex in Booneville. She’s also attended multiple sports camps at Ole Miss. During one camp, in a scrimmage game, Burns was pitching against some recent Ole Miss softball recruits. A pitching coach made a point of telling Burns her spin was insane.
“That’s what Coach Chason calls his
pitchers, the spinny Rebels,” Burns said.
While making the most of her senior year at BHS, Burns is getting more excited by the day as Aug. 1 gets closer. That’s when she’ll start her freshman year at Ole Miss. As for her future after college, Burns is considering her options.
“My plan is to major in exercise science,” she said. “And though playing professionally has crossed my mind, I really want to have a family. We’ll see.”
Aconversation with Carolyn and Don Kessinger quickly uncovers the truth that sports — specifically baseball — have been a huge part of their lives since before they married 58 years ago.
Even before any talking begins, it takes only a glance around the room in their Oxford home to see the tangible proof: all manner of trophies, Don Kessinger baseball cards, a game-used glove and bat, All Star balls and photos.
The man to whom all the awards belong is about as humble as he can be, but his attorney wife is happy to brag on her husband.
Both from Forrest City, Arkansas, Carolyn knew him as a superstar in the realm of sports. In high school he played quarterback, ran track and played basketball and baseball.
“My dad was his doctor,” she said. “And my family traveled to see him play basketball.”
They started dating at Ole Miss, where Don Kessinger attended on a basketball scholarship and played shortstop for the baseball team. She was 17; he was 21. They married, and, shortly after, he signed with the Chicago Cubs in a AA league in Arlington, Texas. While he was gone for two weeks for spring training, Carolyn and her mother were setting up an apartment in Arlington.
“Here I was this little bride, and my new husband was gone for two weeks,” she said. “I couldn’t wait for him to come back so we could settle in our new apartment.”
Instead, Donny, as she called her husband, called excitedly to tell her the Cubs had called and he was going to Chicago. I was so upset and told him, ‘No, you are supposed to come home.’ Here it was, such a great moment for him and I was fussing. I quickly got over it.”
Shortstop Don Kessinger spent 12 years with the Cubs before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, where he played a year and a half. From there he returned to Chicago to play two and a half years for the White Sox. He was player manager his final year with the White Sox.
During his 16 years of playing pro baseball, the Kessingers became Mom and Dad to two sons, first Keith and then Kevin. It was clear early on both boys were drawn to sports — again, especially baseball.
“You just know,” Don Kessinger said. “You
watch your kids, and you can just tell.”
When they were very young, the Kessinger boys could not wait to go to their dad’s games. Their mom rarely missed one.
“In major league, they played 82 home games and 82 on road,” she said. “I made all the home games. I’d show up with a 2-year-old and an infant. I’d often been by myself with two babies for two weeks, and I needed to be around some adults.”
Don Kessinger can’t count the days he’d come home during his pro ball days when his boys, plus a congregation of neighborhood kids, would be waiting for him to play ball with them. And he rarely disappointed the kids.
“Our yard was a mudhole where they played all summer,” Carolyn Kessinger said. “I had to re-sod my backyard every year.”
As the boys got older, Mom bribed both with baseball in exchange for good behavior.
“I’d tell Keith if he was good, he could go onto the field after the game and try to hit home runs into the ivy at Wrigley,” she said, laughing. “And little Kevin would run bases and slide. He would get so dirty, I started bringing a change of clothes to the games.”
Later, the boys played baseball at Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis, where the family had bought a home when Don Kessinger played with the Cardinals. Like his father, Keith also played basketball. In fact, a longtime lover of the red and blue, Keith attended Ole Miss on a basketball scholarship, but also played shortstop for the Ole Miss baseball team. Kevin attended Ole Miss on a baseball scholarship and was named an All-SEC outfielder.
Though the Kessinger parents loved sports, they never forced any family member to play.
“They never pushed either of us,” said Kevin Kessinger of his brother Keith and himself. “We loved sports and just ended up playing several of them.”
His brother agreed.
“The cool thing growing up in a sports family was there was never any pressure,” he said. “If I’d wanted to play piano, our parents would have been just as supportive. Would Dad have enjoyed it? Probably not. But you’d never have heard him say anything about it.”
The Kessingers moved from Memphis to Oxford in 1990, when Don Kessinger became the head baseball coach at Ole Miss, after the retirement of Jake Gibbs. He coached seven years and then spent four additional years as the associate athletic director.
After college, Kevin was drafted by the Chicago
Cubs. A first-season injury forced him to retire. Brother Keith was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles and later played 11 games at shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds.
These days, the Kessinger sons both live in Oxford near their parents. Kevin, 53, is vice president of BNA Bank’s Oxford branch; Keith, 56, is principal broker at Kessinger Real Estate.
Don Kessinger’s jersey No. 11 was retired by Ole Miss in 2021. The baseball legacy he began continues through the next Kessinger generation.
First cousins Chase Kessinger, son of Keith and Laura Kessinger, and Grae Kessinger, son of Kevin and Kelly Kessinger, are carrying on the baseball tradition these days.
Grae, 25, played shortstop for Ole Miss, and in 2019, was signed in the second round by the Houston Astros. Chase, 24, chose to pursue a different position on the baseball field and is a pitcher for the University of Memphis.
“Chase always had a good arm,” said his proud grandfather. “He just gravitated toward pitching.”
A senior at University of Memphis, Chase, like most young men who grew up throwing a baseball, would love to play pro ball, said his dad.
“Whether he does or not, I am 100% sure he will stay in coaching,” Keith Kessinger said. “He will make a wonderful coach.”
When the Kessinger family — including Chase’s sister Anna, 26, and Grae’s brother Josh, 27 — gets together for special occasions, baseball is not always the primary topic of conversation, but you can bet talk will at some point turn to sports.
“We love sports,” Don Kessinger said. “All sports. My parents loved sports and Carolyn’s parents did too.”
There were times through the years when Carolyn Kessinger believed her journey in baseball was finished, but now she sees no ending in sight.
“Every time I thought we were done with baseball, we weren’t,” she said. “First Donny, then Kevin and Keith, now Grae and Chase. I will always be found during baseball season in a ballpark in the dust and heat. It’s been my life, and I’ve loved it. If there are any great-grandchildren who come along to play, I may not be around to go to their games, but if I am, I will be there.”
Her husband quietly nodded his head in the affirmative.
“You will be around,” he said, smiling. “We have had a good life. While we were in the midst of it all, I didn’t realize what a really storied life we have lived.”
B B
orn in Tupelo, Milwaukee Brewers’ starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff has had some big-time life experiences that most can only imagine. A standout pitcher at Wheeler High School, Woodruff would later be a part of the 2013 Mississippi State team that fell just shy of winning that year’s College World Series, losing to UCLA. Now a regular part of the Milwaukee pitching rotation, Woodruff can lay claim to at least one fascinating piece of history: He is one of the few pitchers to hit a home run in the postseason. He did it against the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw in the 2018 National League Championship Series. He also played in the 2019 MLB All-Star Game. Woodruff, his wife and daughter rent a house in Milwaukee during the season, but except for spring training in Arizona, Woodruff calls Saltillo home the rest of the time. We caught up with him recently to ask him about baseball, life in Wisconsin and a few other things.
Q: What’s your earliest baseball memory?
A: I can remember going and playing park ball in Booneville. I just remember the excitement of getting out of the truck with your little baseball bag and being able to go out to the game. I think that’s probably one of my earliest baseball memories. But for me, (the strongest memory) is being in the backyard with my brother and my dad and taking ground balls. I was doing that when I was 6, 7 years old.
Q: When did you know playing ball was for you?
A: It was real gradual. I always thought in high school that I would go to Northeast and play junior college ball. As I got bigger and stronger, I played the showcase tournament in Oklahoma and had a good tournament. There were some scouts there. I was already being recruited by State, Ole Miss, Southern Mississippi. That’s how it
started for me. I got drafted out of high school in the fifth round, but turned it down and went to college. Mississippi State was my dream school, and I really wanted to go there. I think when I got to double A, that’s when I realized I had a shot.
Q: What did that realization do to you emotionally?
A: Once I got in pro ball, I was sent to Helena, Montana, on a yellow school bus to go to practice. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m back in high school again.’ That’s probably when I realized it was going to take a lot of dedication and hard work to get where I wanted. That was probably the first year (2014) I realized that.
Q: Who is your biggest hero in sports?
A: Probably my dad and my brother. That’s who I learned the game from. My brother wound up being in a four-wheeler accident and passed away in 2016. He was the one who taught me the game, and that’s when I fell in love with it, watching him play in college and wanting to follow in his footsteps. They would probably be my biggest heroes.
Q: Describe learning the game in Wheeler? Has baseball been second-nature to you?
A: To be honest, basketball was my favorite sport growing up. At one point (Wheeler High School) had the most championships in the state. I grew up playing basketball, and baseball was just another sport I grew up playing. I’ve had to put in so much work to perfect my craft and to be the best at what I do. It takes a lot of sacrifice and commitment to make it at the major league level.
Q: What about the MSU aura?
A: I grew up a State fan. My whole family is Mississippi State people. (MSU) was my dream school. I had no interest in going anywhere else. You were treated like a rock star. Mississippi State is a baseball school. The biggest thing with Mississippi State is the fans that come
out and support you. You feel like you’re in a big-league stadium.
Q: You went to Omaha for the 2013 CWS. Did the change to a new stadium make a difference in that year’s outcome?
A: No. I’d only thrown 10 innings that year. I was in an arm brace, but I was there and experienced the whole thing. In the championship series, that place held 20,000 to 30,000. It was basically a home game for us. You’re in the biggest spotlight. We just played two bad games and ran into a team that played better than we did.
Q: What are your feelings about the 2021 CWS that MSU won?
A: I can tell you, it was such a big deal that Mississippi State was able to win a national championship. For it to be the baseball team to do it was very fitting, and it felt like it was just meant to be. I remember watching the whole thing. We were playing a day game. I remember getting into Pittsburgh, going to my hotel room and watching the last three or four innings. I didn’t full-on cry, but I definitely teared up at the last out. You can’t even comprehend it.
Q: What’s your personal training regimen?
A: It changes every season. I take off a full month after every season. Then I start full workouts. I start four days a week. Then I move into just about every day. It’s a lot of different exercises. I’m throwing every day and working out four to five times a week. I’m just trying to get my body ready for spring training. It’s a lot of get up, throw, do what I’ve got to do for the day. A lot of arm care exercises, too.
Q: What’s it like working and raising a family in Milwaukee?
A: We love it. That’s the only place we’ve ever known, and we’ve been in the organization for 10 years. You can get 10, 15 minutes out of downtown and feel like you’re not in a big city. Some good fishing, some of the best golfing you can play. We like to take our little girl out and spend the day outside. The fans remind me a lot of being in Mississippi State ... very passionate about their players.
Q: You have a condition known as Raynaud’s syndrome. How is it managing that at the professional level?
A: When I would grip the baseball, the blood wouldn’t get back to the tips of my fingers, and they would go numb. I couldn’t feel the seams of the baseball. Once I figured out what was happening, I could manage it. I’ve been throwing this winter, and I haven’t had any trouble. Maybe it’s something that just gets bad when it’s really cold. I think I’ve got a good hold on it now.
Q: Any thoughts about a salary cap in MLB?
A: Our market is a free market, right? We have to play so many years to be a free agent. There’s no cap to what we can get. The better you play and the better you do, the more money you get. I’m a fan of the free market.
Q: How accurate is the movie “Bull Durham?”
A: (Laughing) This is a bad, bad confession. I’ve only watched parts of ‘Bull Durham,’ I haven’t seen the whole thing. But yes, the lifestyle of the minor leagues is not glamorous, by any means.
MMore than 20 baseball players from Mississippi schools were selected in the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft in July. While back-to-back national champs Mississippi State and Ole Miss produced more than half of the drafted players, Southern Miss (which also had an outstanding 2022 season — its sixth in a
JUSTIN BENCH [ CF ]
OLE MISS | SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
EMAARION BOYD [ OF ]
SOUTH PANOLA HS | PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
SPENCE COFFMAN [ SS ]
TISHOMINGO COUNTY HS | SAN DIEGO PADRES
KE’SHUN COLLIER [ OF ]
MERIDIAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE | CHICAGO CUBS
BRAD CUMBEST [ RF ]
MISSISSIPPI STATE | COLORADO ROCKIES
DYLAN DELUCIA [ P ]
OLE MISS | CLEVELAND GUARDIANS
DEREK DIAMOND [ P ]
OLE MISS | PITTSBURGH PIRATES
HAYDEN DUNHURST [ C ]
OLE MISS | KANSAS CITY ROYALS
TIM ELKO [ 3B ]
OLE MISS | CHICAGO WHITE SOX
BEN ETHRIDGE [ P ]
SOUTHERN MISS | MINNESOTA TWINS
JACKSON FRISTOE [ P ]
MISSISSIPPI STATE | NEW YORK YANKEES
row with more than 40 wins) saw five from its roster drafted. Two high school seniors, a community college prospect and a pitcher from William Carey University round out the list. After starting as rookies in the minor leagues, each of these players will work their way through the system in hopes of a major league debut.
KEVIN GRAHAM [ LF ]
OLE MISS | ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
LANDON HARPER [ P ]
SOUTHERN MISS | ATLANTA BRAVES
KAMREN JAMES [ 3B ]
MISSISSIPPI STATE | TAMPA BAY RAYS
BRANDON JOHNSON [ P ]
OLE MISS | KANSAS CITY ROYALS
PRESTON JOHNSON [ P ]
MISSISSIPPI STATE | BALTIMORE ORIOLES
GARRETT RAMSEY [ P ]
SOUTHERN MISS | BOSTON RED SOX
DALTON ROGERS [ P ]
SOUTHERN MISS | BOSTON RED SOX
LANDON SIMS [ P ]
MISSISSIPPI STATE | ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
TYLER STUART [ P ]
SOUTHERN MISS | NEW YORK METS
LOGAN TANNER [ C ]
MISSISSIPPI STATE | CINCINNATI REDS
CHRIS WILLIAMS JR. [ P ]
WILLIAM CAREY UNIVERSITY | DETROIT TIGERS
Music lovers packed The Claude Gentry Theatre in Baldwyn Jan. 13 for “Shoal Power: The Sounds of Muscle Shoals.” Featured were special guests Will McFarlane and The Gentrys.
Tupelo Young Professionals hosted its inaugural Forty Below event Jan. 13 at the Tupelo Cotton Mill. The fundraiser benefited the Church After School Association and offered professionals younger than 40 an opportunity to mingle and network.
Tupelo Ballet celebrated its 40th anniversary season with an inaugural Raising the Barre Gala, held Jan. 21 at the Tupelo Cotton Mill.
A motorcade/parade, culminating in a worship service, was held Jan. 16 as part of Tupelo’s Committee for King four-day commemoration of the birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Modern Beauticians are the annual partner organization with the Committee for King. Learn more at committeeforking.org.
Ignite 2023, a leadership conference hosted by Tupelo’s Community Development Foundation was held Jan. 26 at The Orchard. The conference, in its sixth year, featured networking and speakers.
A two-day Winter Specialty Baseball Camp was held in mid-January at Ole Miss. Head coach Mike Bianco and others helped teach players from grades 1 to 12 how to hit properly and how to successfully pitch or catch.
On Jan. 16, MLK Day of Service, students, staff members and faculty from the University of Mississippi joined with Oxford community members to honor the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through various service projects.
Civil rights activist and author Joyce Ladner was the keynote speaker during a communitywide dinner held Jan. 13 at the University of Mississippi to commemorate the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Hosted by the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, the 2023 Princess Ball for dads and daughters took place at the Powerhouse in late January and featured music, dancing, a meal by Chick-fil-A, art activities and more.
The 12th annual Oxford Fiber Arts Festival took place in late January at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center. Fabric arts makers made their work available during the festival’s marketplace.
The Oxford High School Chargerettes hosted a mini dance camp on Jan. 21 for students in pre-K through 5th grade. Dance team members shared their skills with participants.
The Voice of the Rebels, David Kellum, has witnessed many historic sports moments in the decades he has spent as an announcer. We talked to him about the ability of sports to bring a community together.
IN A GENERAL SENSE, WHEN A COMMUNITY GETS BEHIND A TEAM,
whether it’s junior high, high school, college, it knocks down some other barriers that might exist — political, racial, lack of communication. Getting behind a team brings everybody to the same page, regardless of other differences. It gives people something in common.
And specifically, at Ole Miss, two instances come to mind where the community came together in a big way. When Chucky Mullins got hurt in 1989, I saw Oxford, the state of Mississippi, the Southeastern Conference — all those communities — come together. Everyone was loving on Chucky and any barriers there might have been dropped. That’s not something you want to happen to bring people together, but still, it did.
And on a happier note, when the Rebels won the College World Series last year, that put a smile on everybody’s face, just like when the women’s golf team were national champions in ’21. Ole Miss fans in Oxford and around the country came together to pull for their team
AND SEEING OLE MISS ON TOP, WELL, IT’S A GOOD FEELING FOR US ALL.
David Kellum has been the Voice of Ole Miss since he was 18 years old; announcing football and basketball for 34 years and baseball for 45 years. He was named the Mississippi Sportscaster of the Year last year, for the ninth time. The Oxford native and his wife Mary are parents to daughters Stefanie and Staci, and grandparents to 1-year-old Evelyn.
