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Billy Brewer, Joe Walker Make 2018 Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Class
The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame revealed its 2018 class of enshrines on Monday. Among the class are two former coaches of the Ole Miss Rebels, Billy Brewer and Joe Walker Jr.
Brewer was the four-time SEC football coach of the year during his tenure at the helm of the Rebels.
On Monday, Brewer told WLBT-TV he was honored to be chosen for induction.
“I am humbled as I can be to be nominated and chosen,” he said. “I was hoping, before I passed, that it would be a reality. So I’m really blessed to come in with this elite group. Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame is one of the best, probably, in the country.”
Joe Walker Jr. coached the Ole Miss track team and built it up to what it is today. One of his athletes competed in the Olympics during his tenure.
“People that are in this Hall of Fame were all my heroes,” Walker said at the event. “I’m 70 years old, and all my life I’ve been thinking about these people: ‘Wasn’t he great! Wasn’t she great!’ That sorta thing. So it’s a really unique feeling that comes upon you when you get inducted into something like this.”
The four other inductees in the 2018 class are Lafayette Stribling from Mississippi Valley, Mike Jones from Mississippi College, and light heavyweight boxing champion Billy Moore.
This class will officially join the hallowed ranks of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame on July 28.
Adam Brown is the sports editor of HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at adam.brown@hottytoddy.com.