Billy W. Howard (1978) - Hall of Fame

Billy W. Howard

Induction:
1978
Class:
1946

Billy W. Howard, Sr., lettered in three sports at Mississippi State between 1944 and 1946. He excelled in football for three seasons, basketball for two, and did track and field for two as well.

While playing basketball, he made varsity his freshman year at MSU and was on the team whenever they made it to the semifinals in the Southeastern Tournament. During his track career, he threw the shot put, discus, javelin, and did high jump.

Although he played three sports, football was the one in which he excelled the most. He made first team in football for three years and played offense and defense for almost 60 minutes every game. He was nicknamed “Iron Man” Howard after being the first player to perform the full 60 minutes in one afternoon for Coach Allyn McKeen. He tallied the winning touchdown with 30 seconds left in MSU’s upset win over LSU in 1945, and in his last game, the Bulldogs defeated Ole Miss.

After graduating, he received the National Football Foundation Distinguished American Award. He also received the Mississippi State Outstanding Alumni Award and the MSU Engineering Award. He was National President of the Mississippi State Alumni Association and a member of the Mississippi State Development Foundation and the MSU engineering Board.

Howard is the owner and founder of Howard Industries, Inc., and has received numerous awards and honors throughout his life, in addition to serving on multiple boards and associations throughout Mississippi. The Billy Howard Indoor Practice Facility was named after his namesake.