2007

played at IH)."' Massey s~ud. "We had to be m good sh:tpe to pl:t) both way~. and belie\ c me. 0ur co ache did all they C\)Uld plus some- to rnal.:e sure we were in top condition!'' Masse) smd the Warrior coaches were alo.;n a "step ahead" of the oppo– ~Jtion "The) installed an offense that let us call most of our pia) s .at the line of scrimmage," Ma~se) Mated. "I would call just any number in the huddle \\C didn't want to wa te time becau e I almost al\\ a~~ changed the pia) at the line of scrimmage based on the defen~c we faced." When \lassey graduated from EC in 1960, he had seve1 al scholarship offers to con 1der. He fi.-.;t cho'c to attend the Univer– Sit) of South Louisiana - Lafayette, but after o few weeks of litll practice. ~lnsse) left the school due to his father'<> illnes~. Masse) wor~ed for a year and helped support hi.; mother and ' n~er brother and ister. I ' p a I t that e<~r," Masse) d th1 tl)tng ume And when M1ll aps uffered me an academic cholarslup I was re.ady to return to college and continue Ill) athletic career.'' l\lnssey said the NCAA changed tts substitution rule in the carly!1960s so players did not have to pfay on offense and defense. "I onl) had to play offen-,e and I Jo,ed that ,jtuation. Foothall was a.Jso easier lor me at Millsap!.,'' Massey recalled. '"I he game was not as physi cal as junior college fc\\er cheap hots. unneccs"lll) penaltie.,, etc... MasJ ey aid the highlight of his JUnior ca on ''as that "crery away game .,.,as a homecoming game for our opponent. which \\as somewhat unu uaJ r.f course." And h1s emor year was one of "adJustm nt. · "I had pl<~yed quarterback a.ll In} hfc and the new ~oad1cs ut Millsaps wanted me to pla~ fullback," he said. "1 didn't nand running the ball but \\as not too excited about blocking: 4uat terba,·ks don't usually have to block anyone! But I was u little bigger then- l \H'Jghed about 175 p

opuon pass to the play hst. "Thi w rked out great bet:ause I had the opti n f runmng or pas mg on S\\ eep pia) " he 5tated. "I was p10hably the onl;r fullback 10 Ameri– can that thrc\\ the ball severnlllme~ in a game!" Massey averaged 6. yards per carr} hi' '>emor eason and wa<: named honorable menuon All-Ameri– can. He was also chosen the Major~· best offensive hac~. In addition. the Jackson Touchdm\ n Club recognited him as Millsap\' outstanding senior football player. Fh e other players rep– resenting their rc-.pective college~ were also honored during the touch– down club·s annual banquet. \ "I was honored to have been cho– :.en for the a\\ard representing Mill– saps:· he said. "And I especiall} felt honored to have my picture taken with Glynn Gnffing of Ole Miss. Johnny Baker of Miss. State. Johnny Sklopan of Southern \fissJss•rpa. Earl Coleman o ') to State and Benson Holland of M1 1 1pp1 Colleg Agrun, luck.") me..." Prior to h1s ~tell<~r c<~reers at Ea~t Central and Millsaps. Ma"se) was an offensive and defensive l.tandout at Morton High School. He helped lead the Panthers to the North Little D1xie Conference championship his semor season in 1957. Morton fell 13 6 to Mendenhall for the overall title and fini~hed 10- l. Mm;scy was chosen his team's most \ aluable player follov.ing the champion!>hip season. He also had a productive junior campaign. earning bc.'>t defensive back honors highliP.ht

ed by seven mtercepttons. Monon went 7-2-1 that season. In recognition of his athletic accomplishmems at MHS Massey also played basketball and baseball the school named one ot Its dressing rooms in his honor when the gym wa~ constructed mthe mid·tlO's. Masse). who majored in hrstof) at Millsaps, taught and coached for six years following graduatiP'l in I%3. He began his career at Morton. ' where he wught h"tl ·y and U.S. Government classe:. <4•u .. oached jun– ior high football, asJ..:ctball and girl~' and boys' track in addition to sef\ing as assistant high school lootball coach. Afte1 three year teaching and coaching at Morton,Massey moved to Greenwood to assist h1s fonner high school coach. Hollis Rulter. Masse~ wa~ the hacklield coach lor the foot– ball team and was head ba~eball coach. Folio\~ mg n three-\ e r Green d M ) m~urance busint ~ m 19o9 !l tinues to '>CJvc in the ~ame professiOn He has hi~ own busine's m llowood· and hao; earned Chartered L1fe 'Under– writer and Chartered financial Con– sultant designations. Massey married his hagh school ''sweetheart," the former Linda Laughlin ofMorton. m 1963. They have four grown children. Gaines Michael :\1assey, Ste\en C. Massey, Jeffrey L. Mas~C) and Melis– sa M. Will iams. The Masseys also have nine grandchildren.