Courtesy Ole Miss Athletics
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Tonight, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame toasts the 1959 Ole Miss Rebels, a team that just might be the best college football team in the history of our state—and maybe even the best college football team in history.
The 1959 Rebels produced a dozen Mississippi Sports Hall of Famers, not including the coaching staff, which Hall of Famer John Vaught led.
Ole Miss went 10-1 on the 1959 season with the lone loss coming from Louisiana State University on a foggy Halloween night. That year's Heisman Trophy winner, Billy Cannon, broke loose on an 89-yard punt return for a touchdown when the Rebels were leading 3-0. LSU won 7-3.
Ole Miss faced LSU again in the Sugar Bowl with the Rebels gaining some revenge in a 21-0 victory in which Cannon was lucky to break the line of scrimmage.
The longest touchdown the 1959 Rebels' defense allowed was just eight yards. The team outscored opponents 350-21. That Ole Miss team averaged 33 points per game in a time before rule changes made it easy to light up the scoreboard like in the games we see today.
The Oct. 17 Renasant Bank Toast to the 1959 Ole Miss Rebels begins with a reception with heavy hors d'oeuvres at 6 p.m., followed by a program at 7 p.m. It will include a screening of a documentary about the 1959 season, remarks from Charlie Flowers and other players and an opportunity for the audience to ask questions of the team members present.
Tickets, which cost $100, are available by calling the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum (1152 Lakeland Drive) at 601-982-8264.
Comments
Duan 10 years, 6 months ago
" a team that just might be the best college football team in the history of our state—and maybe even the best college football team in history."
A team that competed during segregation - didn't allow one black athlete on its roster because they deemed them inferior - doesn't deserve or should even be considered "great" or "best in......................."
Put an asterisk by them in that regard.
I know I've ticked off a fair number of people with that comment - but it is what it is.
js1976 10 years, 6 months ago
So you would hold the athletes accountable for the actions of the school and the state? Would you also suggest that Faulkner doesn't deserve his Nobel Prize for attending the UM during a time of segregation?
tsmith 10 years, 6 months ago
Y'all damn sure seem to hold every white person alive today accountable for the actions of a few 150 years ago.
justjess 10 years, 6 months ago
@tsmith
"Y'all damn sure seem to hold every white person alive today accountable for the actions of a few 150 years ago."
I think you lost your argument when you used "FEW" as numerical exactness for the number of people subscribing to the idea of separation of the races and your time frame of 150 years ago is way off base.
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