Senate Concurrent Resolution 503

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING MISSISSIPPI HALL OF FAME BELHAVEN BASEBALL COACH HILL DENSON AS THE EIGHTH MISSISSIPPI BASEBALL COACH CHOSEN FOR INDUCTION INTO THE AMERICAN BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME.

WHEREAS, Belhaven University's Coach Hill Denson recently became the eighth Mississippi Baseball Coach chosen for induction into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. This is an award that usually comes after a coach retires; and

WHEREAS, Coach Denson, a 73-year-old native of Bay Springs, currently is recruiting players for Belhaven and sending his team through workouts, while adjusting to the Blazers' switch from NAIA to NCAA Division III; and

WHEREAS, Belhaven Baseball Coach Hill Denson picked up his 1,000th collegiate victory on March 18, 2015, as the Blazers defeated Tougaloo College 10-0. Denson joined the University of Mobile's Mike Jacobs and William Carey University's Bobby Halford as active coaches in the Southern States Athletic Conference with 1,000 wins. Additionally, Denson is in the Hall of Fame at Belhaven and USM, the Semi-Pro Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame; and

WHEREAS, as the Head Coach at Southern Mississippi, Denson won 471 games in 14 seasons, and marked 590 victories at Belhaven; and

WHEREAS, in 2008, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame inducted Coach Hill Denson, who posted 12 consecutive winning seasons at the University of Southern Mississippi and led the Golden Eagles to their first-ever NCAA appearance. At the helm of the University of Southern Mississippi Baseball Program, he helped establish USM as a nationally recognized baseball power; and

WHEREAS, prior to his tenure at USM, Coach Denson served as the Director of In-Game Promotions for the Nashville Sounds, then New York Yankees Minor League Baseball Club. He also served as an Assistant Baseball Coach at Vanderbilt University; and

WHEREAS, Coach Denson's high school coaching experience included stints at three Mississippi high schools: Callaway High School, Manhattan High School and Chamberlain-Hunt Military Academy; and

WHEREAS, in the Summer of 2005, he managed The Jackson Senators, an independent Class A professional baseball team and a 95-game schedule in the Central Independent Professional Baseball League; and

WHEREAS, a native of Bay Springs, Mississippi, Hill Denson is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Science Education. He received his Master's Degree in School Administration from Mississippi College; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize this landmark career achievement by an outstanding coach who is respected by his coaching colleagues and has brought honor to his community, college, university and 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 Mississippi Hall of Fame Belhaven Baseball Coach Hill Denson as the eighth Mississippi Baseball Coach chosen for induction into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and wish him and his family continued success in all their future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Coach Hill Denson, forwarded to the Board of Trustees of Belhaven University, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.