Jackson Free Press

While Ole Miss men's basketball coach Andy Kennedy has been making headlines for his alleged inappropriate conduct last week in Cincinnati, his behavior hopefully will not cast a shadow over the entire program. One of the brightest personalities in Ole Miss basketball history, Coolidge Ball, spoke with the Jackson Free Press in August after his inauguration into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

In 1970, Ball permanently entered the history books by becoming the first African American student athlete at the University of Mississippi. During his three varsity basketball seasons (1971-1973), Ball played a part in the first three consecutive winning seasons for the Rebels since 1936-1938, while earning All-SEC recognition in '72 and '73.

You said last night that this is a tribute you've waited a very long time for. Why does this mean so much to you?
To be inducted to the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame is a great honor, the top honors in the state you can get. I'm so proud I stayed in the state to play. If I had gone somewhere else, I wouldn't have this opportunity. It's just great to be in the state hall of fame.

Were you surprised you were so well received by Ole Miss?
No, I wasn't surprised at all. I think I knew what I was getting into. I had a great time, and I carried myself in a way that I got along with everybody.

You said earlier that almost 90 percent of your time in college was spent with teammates and coaches. Did you ever feel like you missed out on any part of the college experience?
Oh no, what I meant (was that) athletes are around their players and coaches anyway, (and that's) 85 percent of your time right there. But not all the time are you around them. It just wasn't the coaches and players. I just felt like if I couldn't get along with coaches and players, I wouldn't worry about anything else at the time. I got along with everybody. People find a way to come by and talk with you if you're an athlete.

Did you ever find it a burden to be playing under the legacy of the first African American scholarship?
It didn't keep me unfocused. I just loved the game (of basketball), and I was going to play the game whether I was the first or not. Just send me.

When you went to New Mexico and eventually changed your mind to play for Ole Miss, what was it that made the decision for you to play for Ole Miss instead?
In the back of my mind were the coaches at Ole Miss, and I liked them, and I always said if I wasn't happy out there, I was coming back home. I found that out after I got out there (in New Mexico), and I called the (Ole Miss basketball) coach and asked if he had a scholarship left, and he told me he did.

What is the best basketball advice you ever received?
That's hard for me to say, but I had a lot of encouragement from many people just telling me to stay the course.