Three Questions With MSU’s New M-Club Hall Of Famers
September 24, 2021 | Athletics, Joel Coleman
Billy Jackson, Bob Tyler, Bobby Thigpen, Ray White, Sharon Thompson and Charlie Weatherly discuss their love and appreciation for Mississippi State.
STARKVILLE – The M-Club Hall has called, and on Friday night, six Bulldog legends will answer.
Billy Jackson, Bob Tyler, Bobby Thigpen, Ray White, Sharon Thompson and Charlie Weatherly are all set to be inducted into the MSU Sports M-Club Hall of Fame on Friday. To attend the Gala, CLICK HERE to purchase tickets. Friday's events begin with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at 5:30 p.m. with the program honoring the new inductees at 7 p.m. Bios of each individual can be found by CLICKING HERE.
Prior to the legends taking their place in the Hall of Fame, HailState.com caught up with each individual and asked the same three questions:
- What does Mississippi State mean to you?
- What are a couple of your favorite memories in Maroon and White?
- Can you express your feelings on now being an M-Club Hall of Famer?
Here are their responses, slightly edited for clarity:
Billy Jackson (Football • 1980-81-82-83)
What does Mississippi State mean to you?
"It means a lot to me and it shaped my future. I got my start at Mississippi State and it taught me a lot. It made me become a man and helped me grow up fast. I was only 17 when I got there, so it made me mature faster. I appreciate the four years at Mississippi State. It helped me become a man, because growing up, I didn't have a father figure at the house. When you get there, you're around a lot of men and you learn a lot of things. You then take that into your life and take it into you work. I experienced that."
What are a couple of your favorite memories in Maroon and White?
"I think the first thing that stands out is the closeness of the players and the team. I made a lot of friends along the way and I'm still in contact with them. That memory is going to stay with me. Now I watch Mississippi State games and it brings back memories. It makes me think of how well Mississippi State has treated me. And I'll always remember having fun playing the game with my teammates. Of course some games stand out. That Alabama game [in 1980 when MSU won 6-3 over the top-ranked Crimson Tide] stands out. There were many more games than that where I had fun and the team had fun playing."
Can you express your feelings on now being an M-Club Hall of Famer?
"It means a lot. I'm humbled, and by that I mean I'm happy and grateful for it. I don't look at it as my award. I look at it as the team's and the players I played with. I couldn't have done this without them. I really share this award with them. It's not a one-person award. It's a team award. It's a group award. I really appreciate my teammates that I played with and the people that came before me. I really appreciate that."
Coach Bob Tyler (Head Football Coach • 1973-78, Director of Athletics • 1976-79)
What does Mississippi State mean to you?
"Before I even went there as coach, I had a great view of Mississippi State University and its people. I knew so many of the people…Then I got there and it was a great place. The people are wonderful all through the Bulldog nation. People helped and the faculty, they were such help in attracting student-athletes to the university. It was a great place. It was just outstanding. Over the years, I've felt blessed to be a part of the Bulldog nation and I do love the university."
What are a couple of your favorite memories in Maroon and White?
"There were a lot of good wins and a lot of games that were important to us, but in my first year, the 1973 season, after we beat Vanderbilt on campus, we went to Jackson and we beat Florida. They were a talented and ranked team that was highly favored and our players beat them pretty good. That still, after all the years of coaching and winning some good ones, that Florida victory in '73, my first year as a head coach, was one of my most exciting and important wins."
Can you express your feelings on now being an M-Club Hall of Famer?
"It means a lot. It's one of the major highlights of my long coaching career and to be in the Hall of Fame at that great university is just almost beyond description. I so appreciate the members of the Hall of Fame committee voting to induct me. That means so much. It's truly a highlight of my life, and in my coaching career. I just wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."
Bobby Thigpen (Baseball • 1984-85)
What does Mississippi State mean to you?
"It's always been a second home to me. I was given a chance to do well there by Coach [Ron] Polk and the university and Mississippi State has helped me to accomplish all the things that I've done."
What are a couple of your favorite memories in Maroon and White?
"For the most part, what we all remember is the comradery and being together with our teammates. We basically had a lot of the same guys for two years in a row, so it made it special to hang out with everybody. As far as a game that stands out, my very first game, my first at-bat, my first pitch, I hit a grand slam. And it went downhill from there! But it was special. And I've seen the picture of Dan Van Cleve and myself holding the SEC trophy in '85 at LSU. You just think back and think about the good times we had and that's what you miss and what stands out the most to me."
Can you express your feelings on now being an M-Club Hall of Famer?
"I'm honored and humbled. It's something I never thought would ever be possible. To be honored and recognized in this capacity is obviously just a special, special treat."
Ray White (Men's Basketball • 1976-77-78-79)
What does Mississippi State mean to you?
"I grew up wanting to go to Mississippi State basically. I had an uncle that went there and a couple of cousins that went there. When I was in high school, I had the opportunity to just visit Mississippi State. It was a place that was dear to my heart. Due to the fact I was able to play basketball well, I had the opportunity to go there. I had other choices, but I chose Mississippi State because I had a great fondness for it."
What are a couple of your favorite memories in Maroon and White?
"We played Alcorn State my last game for Mississippi State in the NIT Tournament. Unfortunately, we lost on a last-second shot. We should have won that game. We were a better team. But it was the first time, if I'm not mistaken, to have a SWAC team play an SEC team. So that was a bit historical. That stands out to me. The year before, my junior year, we were in second place in the SEC and in the past, they'd always invited the first and second place SEC team to the NCAA Tournament. That year, they chose not to invite the second-place team, which was Mississippi State. What happened is it kind of got the SEC Tournament where you'd have an SEC winner and an SEC Tournament winner. That was something we had an impact on. Also, playing in the Humphrey Coliseum at Mississippi State was really big. It was just an honor to play for Mississippi State as well as play in the SEC. I loved every minute of it."
Can you express your feelings on now being an M-Club Hall of Famer?
"I'm an SEC Legend and was inducted into that a few years ago, but this means more to have the university that I played with to induct me. It just means so much more because this is Mississippi State. I wouldn't have been in the SEC if it wasn't for Mississippi State. I wouldn't have stayed in Mississippi if it hadn't been for Mississippi State. I had the opportunity to go to a lot of different places, but I chose to stay here in the state and Mississippi State was the No. 1 choice for me."
Sharon Thompson (Women's Basketball • 1995-96-97-98)
What does Mississippi State mean to you?
"Mississippi State will always be a part of who I am. One of the reasons I chose to attend MSU is because of the family atmosphere and the close-knit community. Mississippi State means family, friends, fun times and where I met a lot of good people who I am still connected to. Mississippi State means pride, value and tradition. I am honored to be a Bulldog."
What are a couple of your favorite memories in Maroon and White?
"Graduating and getting my degree, getting drafted to play professionally, [and most recently] the women's basketball team's historic run to the NCAA Championship game and the baseball team winning the National Championship."
Can you express your feelings on now being an M-Club Hall of Famer?
"It is rewarding and it feels amazing to be recognized for my accomplishments as a basketball player. I am honored, blessed and very grateful to be a part of the 2021 Hall of Fame Class and to be inducted among such a prestigious group of individuals."
Charlie Weatherly (Football • 1956-57-58)
What does Mississippi State mean to you?
"Mississippi State has been my total life. Not only got to play football here, which was the height of my dreams for sure, but I had my total career here at Mississippi State. It's been the liveliest part of my life for sure these last 50 or so years. It really was rewarding to get to play football here with some of my best friends of all that lived in the old dormitory with us. It was just a grand thing. I never would have imagined I'd be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but it happened. And I'm certainly celebrating that for sure."
What are a couple of your favorite memories in Maroon and White?
"I don't know how many people actually know this, but Mississippi State had four All-Americans that coached for them back in the 1950s, and I got to play for three of them – Wade Walker, Darrell Royal and Bob Kellogg. That's pretty phenomenal. I'm not sure that any coaching staff included four All-Americans or not. They were all really great guys. I was crazy about every one of them.
Can you express your feelings on now being an M-Club Hall of Famer?
"It's just the ultimate recognition I think you can get. It's still unbelievable to me. I certainly am going to celebrate it for sure."
