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Ole Miss Grove, Circle Have Symbolic “38” Tree Types
How many different types of trees do you think are in the Grove and the Circle at Ole Miss?
According to The University of Mississippi Landscape Services, there are 38 tree types among the Grove and Circle. From pecan to Japanese magnolia to white oak trees, the variety of tree types might surprise Rebel fans.
Another eye-catching fact about the number of tree types in the Grove and Circle is the fact that “38” is the same number Ole Miss legend, Chucky Mullins, wore when he played football in the 1980s before being injured in a Ole Miss homecoming game.
“No, not to my knowledge,” said Bonnie Black, landscape services administrative coordinator II, on if the number of tree types was planned to be 38 to honor Mullins. Coincidence or not, the Chucky Mullins legacy lives on in the Grove and the Circle forever.
Chucky Mullins and Coach Billy Brewer before 1989 homecoming game. Photo courtesy of AL.com
Chucky Mullins at Ole Miss
Every true Ole Miss Rebel knows the legacy of Chucky Mullins, a former Ole Miss Football player in the 1980s. Mullins began his football career as a defensive back for the team and was becoming a top player in the SEC.
Tragically, on October 28, 1989, Mullins was injured in the homecoming football game against Vanderbilt and was paralyzed. Though Mullins faced a grueling recovery, it was the football star’s determination to rejoin Ole Miss and finish his degree. Over one million dollars were donated through the Chucky Mullins Trust Fund for Mullins to return to Oxford and live in a specially equipped home.
Chucky Mullins and Madison Kilgore Drake, circa 1990. It’s Time!
In 1991, Mullins returned to Oxford, but never finished his degree. On May 1, 1991, as Mullins was getting ready for class, he stopped breathing and was rushed to the hospital. After five days of unconsciousness, Mullins passed away of a blood clot.
The Ole Miss family never forgot about Mullins positive attitude and determination. The Chucky Mullins Courage Award was set up in his honor. Each year, a banquet is held in memory of Chucky Mullins and the money is donated to Ole Miss students who are involved in a serious accident.
The award is presented to a defensive player on the Ole Miss football team. The player gets a framed Chucky Mullins jersey and is allowed to wear Mullins number, 38, that season. Ole Miss also honored Mullins by renaming Coliseum Drive to Chucky Mullins Drive in 2014.
Ole Miss Ladies Forum stops by to visit the Chucky Mullins memorial at the Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
38 Grove, Circle Tree Types
The Grove and the Circle are two popular places to tailgate, hang out and have events, to name a few activities, at Ole Miss. Here is a complete list of the 38 tree types that can be found in the Grove and Circle.
| American Ash American Elm American Holly Black Gum Black Jack Oak Black Oak Black Walnut Burr Oak Chapman Oak Eastern RedBud |
Flowering Dogwood Ginko Biloba Japanese Magnolia Japanese Snowball Leyland Cypress Longleaf Pine Northern Red Oak Nuttall Oak Pin Oak Post Oak |
Red Maple Sand Hickory Sawtooth Oak Scarlet Oak Shumard Oak Southern Catalpa Southern Magnolia Southern Red Oak Sugar Maple |
Sweetgum Sycamore Umbrella Tree Water Oak Western Pine White Ash White Oak Willow Oak Yellow Pine |
Emily Newton is a staff writer for hottytoddy.com and the editor of Experience Oxford magazine. Emily can be reached at emily.newton@hottytoddy.com.
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