Bill Text: MS SR1 | 2025 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Celebrate 50th anniversary of Callaway Chargers State Championship team.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Passed) 2025-01-15 - Adopted [SR1 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2025-SR1-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2025 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Frazier, Norwood, Horhn, Blount
Senate Resolution 1
(As Adopted by Senate)
A RESOLUTION CELEBRATING THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE CALLAWAY CHARGERS 1975 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP VICTORY.
WHEREAS, This year the Callaway Chargers football team of Jackson, Mississippi, celebrates the 50th anniversary of their 1975 state championship victory; and
WHEREAS, The Callaway Charger football team was rated the number one team in Mississippi in 1975. During the 1975 football season, this outstanding team broke records as the first team in the history of the Mississippi High School Activities Association to complete their season with a perfect twelve wins and no losses. In addition to the state championship, the team also won the Capital Zone of the Big Eight conference championship, the North Mississippi Division of the Big Eight Conference, and reigned as the overall Big Eight Conference champions. Throughout their impressive season, the team scored a total of 328 offensive points, while their defense only allowed 121 points to be scored by the opposing teams; and
WHEREAS, in addition to their impressive record, the 1975 team is also notable for its trailblazing example of school integration. While many schools around the state struggled to integrate their classrooms and sports teams, Callaway was noticeably different. The administrators, teachers, coaches, parents, and students all valued creating an environment that fostered respect and cooperation. With members of the Callaway community believing in the inclusive vision established by the school's leadership, teachers and coaches were able to bring students and teams together and create meaningful, lasting relationships; and
WHEREAS, Assistant Coach Odell Jenkins was the only African American football coach during the 1975 season, and many of the players described him as an integral mentor for the entire team. Coach Jenkins was proud of his players for their accomplishments that season, for earning college scholarships, and later, for some recruitments to NFL positions. He stated, "They were not just good football players - they were good people, and they went on to do good things with their lives"; and
WHEREAS, Jerome Gentry, a junior on the team described his experience explaining, "We were a family, not just a football team. We were all friends, and our coaches were father or big brother figures. We would have Thursday night dinners together where parents - black or white - would host the team at their homes and accept us all as their kids. In the football environment, color did not seem to matter." The strides made both on and off the field by the 1975 Callaway football coaching team were astounding, and it has been said by some that God was able to use the game of football to demonstrate to a group of high school students the joy and necessity of racial reconciliation; and
WHEREAS, the 1975 coaching staff consisted of Head Coach Charles Allman and Assistant Coaches Odell Jenkins, Hill Denson, and W.J. Bilbro. The 1975 Callaway Championship Football roster consisted of: Jerome Gentry, Terrance Shirley, Ronald Lindsey, Roy Coleman, Dwayne Bell, Fredrick Stingley, Anthony Washington, Greg Turner, Leundus Faulkner, Lee Claybrook, Mitch Forester, Jerry Maxwell, Chris Moylihan, Danny Freeman, Herbert Wilson, Thomas Powell, Wayne Stover, Marcy Forester, John Hoover, Ravon Levy, Jerome Hunter, James Geoghegan, Don Horn, Elston Hicks, Darwin Lampkin, Larry Friday, David Bean, Roland Powell, Curtis Washington, Joe Lattimore, Glen Collins, Richard McCain, Lepolian Gentry, Walter Booker, Cleo Armstrong, Gearld Walker, Stuart Gauntt, Joe Rucker, Mike Satcher, Kenny Jennings, Avery Hayes, Wade Myers, Robert Marshall, Robert Woodson, Dwayne Sullivan, Larry Lott, Bobby Kyzer, Gary Harrison, Robert Thompson, Walt Dallas, Carl Clinghan, Russel Myers, Ed Sherline, Ronald Taylor, Alfonso Burks, Jimmy Myrick, Danny McDill, Alan Massey, Gary Walker, Johnnie Hines, Mike Hooper, Tim Hogue, Robert Harrison, Bill Crockett, Wes Peters, Charles Sims, Roy Berry, Kenny SanNicholas, William McMillen, Lloyd Sweat, Joe Schuland, Robert Mclendon, Mike Burns, Tyrone Keys, and Tommy Freeman; and
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize this group of former student athletes and coaches who have brought honor to Callaway High School in 1975, to their community and to the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, that we do hereby commend and congratulate the Callaway Chargers of Jackson, Mississippi, for celebrating the 50th anniversary of their 1975 football team state championship victory.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the current Callaway Head Football Coach, Dameon Brown, and current Callaway High School Principal, Dr. Shemeka McClung, forwarded to the Jackson Public School District, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.
