Rulers of the SEC: Ole Miss and Mississippi State, 1959-1966
During the years 1959-1966 Mississippi universities dominated the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in the big three sports--basketball, baseball, and football. Of the twenty-four championships that could be earned in those sports, University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) won six and Mississippi State University (MSU) won six. That is, the two Mississippi universities won twelve of the championships. That left the remaining twelve championships for the other members of the conference.

Picking up in the late fifties, James Crockett explores the most decisive wins in each major sport, beginning at the source of these victories: the extraordinary coaches and their interesting personalities. With each year, Crockett charts the unreal rise within the SEC conference and the many hardships that faced these beloved teams as their students, faculty, and traditions changed all around them. Stars and coaches that shine in the book include John Vaught, Tom Swayze, Jake Gibbs, and Donnie Kessinger from Ole Miss; and Paul Gregory, Bailey Howell, Babe McCarthy, and the amazing SEC Champion Bulldog basketball team of 1962-1963.

Rulers of the SEC: Ole Miss and Mississippi State, 1959-1966 enraptures readers with harrowing victories and multiyear, dynastic championships. It is a tale of great coaches, great athletes, and great teams as they adapted to a controversial era of college sports.
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Rulers of the SEC: Ole Miss and Mississippi State, 1959-1966
During the years 1959-1966 Mississippi universities dominated the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in the big three sports--basketball, baseball, and football. Of the twenty-four championships that could be earned in those sports, University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) won six and Mississippi State University (MSU) won six. That is, the two Mississippi universities won twelve of the championships. That left the remaining twelve championships for the other members of the conference.

Picking up in the late fifties, James Crockett explores the most decisive wins in each major sport, beginning at the source of these victories: the extraordinary coaches and their interesting personalities. With each year, Crockett charts the unreal rise within the SEC conference and the many hardships that faced these beloved teams as their students, faculty, and traditions changed all around them. Stars and coaches that shine in the book include John Vaught, Tom Swayze, Jake Gibbs, and Donnie Kessinger from Ole Miss; and Paul Gregory, Bailey Howell, Babe McCarthy, and the amazing SEC Champion Bulldog basketball team of 1962-1963.

Rulers of the SEC: Ole Miss and Mississippi State, 1959-1966 enraptures readers with harrowing victories and multiyear, dynastic championships. It is a tale of great coaches, great athletes, and great teams as they adapted to a controversial era of college sports.
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Rulers of the SEC: Ole Miss and Mississippi State, 1959-1966

Rulers of the SEC: Ole Miss and Mississippi State, 1959-1966

by James R. Crockett
Rulers of the SEC: Ole Miss and Mississippi State, 1959-1966

Rulers of the SEC: Ole Miss and Mississippi State, 1959-1966

by James R. Crockett

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Overview

During the years 1959-1966 Mississippi universities dominated the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in the big three sports--basketball, baseball, and football. Of the twenty-four championships that could be earned in those sports, University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) won six and Mississippi State University (MSU) won six. That is, the two Mississippi universities won twelve of the championships. That left the remaining twelve championships for the other members of the conference.

Picking up in the late fifties, James Crockett explores the most decisive wins in each major sport, beginning at the source of these victories: the extraordinary coaches and their interesting personalities. With each year, Crockett charts the unreal rise within the SEC conference and the many hardships that faced these beloved teams as their students, faculty, and traditions changed all around them. Stars and coaches that shine in the book include John Vaught, Tom Swayze, Jake Gibbs, and Donnie Kessinger from Ole Miss; and Paul Gregory, Bailey Howell, Babe McCarthy, and the amazing SEC Champion Bulldog basketball team of 1962-1963.

Rulers of the SEC: Ole Miss and Mississippi State, 1959-1966 enraptures readers with harrowing victories and multiyear, dynastic championships. It is a tale of great coaches, great athletes, and great teams as they adapted to a controversial era of college sports.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781496835550
Publisher: University Press of Mississippi
Publication date: 08/23/2021
Pages: 264
Sales rank: 1,024,115
Product dimensions: 5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

James R. Crockett is professor emeritus at the University of Southern Mississippi and adjunct professor of accountancy at the University of Mississippi. He is author of Power, Greed, and Hubris: Judicial Bribery in Mississippi; Hands in the Till: Embezzlement of Public Monies in Mississippi; and Operation Pretense: The FBI's Sting on County Corruption in Mississippi, all published by University Press of Mississippi.

Table of Contents

A Note to Readers ix

Southeastern Conference Champions 1959-1966 xi

Foreword xiii

Introduction 3

Chapter 1 The Coaches: Babe McCarthy, Paul Gregory, Tom Swayze, and Johnny Vaught 7

Chapter 2 1959: The Beginning of Great Things 29

Chapter 3 1960: Another Banner Year 55

Chapter 4 1961: Another Championship, Basketball Rising 73

Chapter 5 1962: Maybe the Best Year in Mississippi Sports History 93

Chapter 6 1963: Two out of Three Again and History Made in the NCAA Basketball Tournament 123

Chapter 7 1964: A Baseball Championship and Freedom to Play in the College World Series 153

Chapter 8 1965: Mississippi State Baseball Climbs the Mountain 167

Chapter 9 1966: Another SEC Championship and the End of an Era 185

Chapter 10 The Jimmies and Joes 205

Afterword 225

Sources 229

Index 239

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