MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2001 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Michel, Harden, Horhn, Frazier

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING ORSMOND JORDAN, JR., FROM DECATUR, MISSISSIPPI, WHO LED THE JACKSON MURRAH MUSTANG BASKETBALL TEAM TO STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION, UPON HIS INDUCTION INTO THE MISSISSIPPI SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2001.

WHEREAS, the Jackson Touchdown Club and Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame unveiled the Class of 2001 of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, which features Orsmond E. Jordan, Jr., who hails from Decatur, Mississippi, and led the Jackson Murrah Mustang Basketball team to state championships and national recognition, with induction ceremonies to be held on March 23, 2001; and

WHEREAS, his sports career is a matter of record: championship high school basketball coach who guided teams to over 700 wins and four state championships; Coach Jordan was born in Decatur, the oldest of two children of Orsmond E. Jordan, Sr., and the late Earnie Mable Jordan; he began his basketball career at an early age and attended Alcorn State University, where he was a star scorer for the Braves from 1952-1956; Orsmond earned three letters in basketball at Alcorn and was a two-year starter; he scored 1,124 points during his college career, which was fourth best in school history at the time of his graduation; Coach Jordan achieved his Bachelor of Science degree in 1955 as he majored in General Science; he later received his Master's degree in Guidance and Counseling from Mississippi College in 1972; his advanced education includes geology studies at Oklahoma, Western Illinois, and Idaho State plus a AAA Certification in Driver Safety Education at University of Southern Mississippi; he began his 35-year coaching career at East Flora in 1955; in 1962, he arrived at Lanier High School, Jackson, and launched his basketball legacy in high school hoops; serving as an assistant coach, Orsmond helped lead the Lanier Bulldogs to two state titles and one national high school championship in the 1963-1964 season; his star player at Lanier was Cornell Warner, who later played professional basketball; in 1967, he moved across town to coach and teach at Brinkley High School; Coach Jordan promptly worked his basketball coaching magic once again as Brinkley won a state crown in the 1968-1969 season; his two key players on the Brinkley championship teams were Henry Ward and Ricky Berry, who both played in the pro ranks; Coach Jordan would then make a coaching career move that would vault his name into high school basketball prominence; he arrived at Murrah High School in 1970 and made his name synonymous with the Mustangs and championship basketball; during his 20 years as head coach of the Murrah Mustangs, Coach Jordan led his team to three state titles and national fame; Jordan tapped the talent pool of the Jackson area and molded his players into top quality teams; under his guidance, Murrah became renowned as a high school basketball power; some of his famed Mustangs included Ricky Short, Jesse Pate, Kenny O'Bannon, Donnell Allen, Knovin Hamilton, Ronnie Henderson, Othello Harrington, James Robinson and Lindsey Hunter; Orsmond's teams distinguished themselves on a national scale when they won three consecutive Zizzler Classics in West Plains, Arkansas, a prestigious tournament; those squads featured stars such as James Robinson, Lindsey Hunter, Jesse Pate, Ronnie Henderson and Othello Harrington; one of the highlights of Coach Jordan's Murrah career was actually a loss in the famed "Dream Game" between Murrah and Lawrence County, a match-up of the Class 5A and Class 4A champions; the special game was played on the Jackson State campus drawing a sellout standing room only crowd and a statewide television audience; Jordan's influence on young high school players was a key in developing Mississippi into one of the top states producing great basketball talent; through his hard work and dedication, he built a program that brought national publicity to Mississippi and was able to draw top college programs to the state to recruit players; he forced other schools in the state to keep up in developing skills and cranking out winning teams; Coach Jordan is one of the most decorated coaches in Mississippi high school history, having been named Coach of the Year at the City, Metro, Conference and District levels; he was selected Coach of the Year by the Jackson Clarion Ledger on four occasions; his sportsmanship awards include a Martin Luther King Sports Award, a Kiwanis Club honor, a V.F.W. Sports Award, and City of Jackson and State of Mississippi resolutions, commendations and parades; Orsmond has appeared and coached in numerous All-Star games and basketball clinics; in 1983, he spoke to the famed McGregor Basketball Clinic in Dallas, Texas; he appeared at the Medalist Basketball Clinic at Palo Alto, California, in 1985 and 1986; he served as an annual instructor in the B.C. All-Star Camp in Miledgeville, Georgia, from 1980 through 1991; Coach Jordan conducted a basketball camp at the University of California in Irvine in 1990; in 1991, he coached in the celebrated Dapper Dan Roundball Classic held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Coach Jordan also coached in the Mississippi High School All-Star basketball game in 1979 and the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star game in 1992; in 1993, he served as administrative coach in the MS/AL contest; overall, Coach Jordan concluded his 35-year coaching career with 722 wins and 232 losses; his teams had 14 twenty-win seasons, 4 thirty-win seasons and 1 forty-win season; Orsmond coached 7 All-Americans, 9 All-State players, 5 Players of the Year for Mississippi, 8 players who entered professional basketball, 8 high school All-Stars, 3 McDonald All-Stars and 4 Dapper Dan All-Star players; he retired from coaching and teaching at Murrah in 1993 and became Transportation Manager for Mississippi Action in Progress; Coach Jordan is no stranger to Hall of Fame memberships, having been inducted into the Mississippi Association of Coaches Hall of Fame in 1991 and he is also a member of the Alcorn Sports Hall of Fame; additionally, Orsmond was inducted into the Alcorn Alumni Association Hall of Honor; Coach Jordan is married to Marion Imogene Clark Jordan, who goes by the nickname of "Gene"; the family is active in the New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson; the Jordans have two children, Ronald Jordan and Monica Horhn Grant, and one grandson, Justin Horhn; in a fitting tribute and appropriate gesture, Ronnie Jordan nominated his father to the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame while serving as a security guard at the museum and noticing that there was no picture of his dad as he was not yet a member; Ronnie submitted Coach Jordan's nomination to the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Selection Committee by a letter mailed shortly before Father's Day in 1996; Ronnie summed up his father's nomination by stating: "He has truly been a great father and a loving, dedicated family man; without his guidance, wisdom, love and presence, I could have easily been led astray, that is why I am truly blessed and thankful to be able to present him to you as a nominee, and also proud"; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize this outstanding athlete who has brought honor to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Orsmond E. Jordan, Jr., star basketball player and coach, upon his induction into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2001, and wish him and his family continued success in all endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to Orsmond Jordan and his family at induction ceremonies, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.