House Resolution 67

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING OLE MISS LEGEND AND MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ALL-STAR, MR. DON KESSINGER, UPON THE CELEBRATION OF HIS MAGNIFICENT BASEBALL CAREER AND THE RETIREMENT OF HIS NO. 11 JERSEY BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI.

WHEREAS, the University of Mississippi baseball legend and Major League Baseball All-Star, Don Kessinger, will have his jersey number, No. 11, retired by the University of Mississippi on Thursday, April 22, 2021, a true testament to his remarkable collegiate and professional baseball career; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Kessinger's No. 11 jersey, the number he wore when he earned six All-Star and two Gold Glove selections as the shortstop for the Chicago Cubs, will be displayed on the outfield wall at Swayze Field in Oxford, Mississippi, beside the jersey of Jake Gibbs, the only other Rebel baseball player to have his number retired; and

WHEREAS, during his tenure as an Ole Miss Rebel, Mr. Kessinger was a rare two-sport All-American who excelled in both basketball and baseball from 1962 until 1964, earning All-SEC and All-America honors in both sports; and

WHEREAS, bursting with wit and athleticism, Mr. Kessinger's mental stamina and determination never waivered from the moment he stepped onto the red, dusty diamond or ran onto the court until the final out was called and the final buzzer alarmed, setting the bar extremely high for all future Rebel athletes; and

WHEREAS, as a basketball player, Mr. Kessinger averaged 22.2 points per game to rank fourth in Ole Miss history as well as 11th with 1,553 career points, and on the diamond, his feats were equally impressive as his .400 career batting average still remains number one in the Ole Miss record book, an effort which is also sixth on the Southeastern Conference (SEC) career chart; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Kessinger's best year at the plate came in 1964 when he led the SEC by hitting .436, a performance which remains as the best single-season effort in Rebel baseball history, and his nine career triples and 44 career steals place him 10th on each Ole Miss all-time list; and

WHEREAS, following a successful collegiate career, Mr. Kessinger moved on to Major League Baseball (MLB) where he put together an impressive 16-year career, as he started with the Chicago Cubs in 1964 and played at Wrigley Field until 1975, and during that time as the Cubs' starting shortstop, he played in six All-Star Games, earned two Gold Glove Awards and set a then-Major League record for consecutive errorless games at shortstop with 54 in 1969; and

WHEREAS, in his last season in MLB, 1979, Mr. Kessinger served as a player-manager for the White Sox, making him the last player-manager in American League history to hold the elite position; and

WHEREAS, a native of Forrest City, Mississippi, Mr. Kessinger has been named an SEC legend as well as a member of the Chicago Cubs, Ole Miss Sports, Mississippi, Arkansas, Chicago and National High School Halls of Fame, but perhaps his best known trait was his upstanding character, as he was an honoree at the 1976 Chicago Baseball Writers Diamond Dinner, where he was presented with the Ken Hubbs Award, given for exemplary conduct both on and off the field; in 1977, he was named the recipient of the Danny Thomas Memorial Award, for his exemplary Christian spirit in MLB; and the following year, he was the recipient of the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, presented annually to the Major League Baseball player who both on and off the field best exemplifies the character of Lou Gehrig; and

WHEREAS, despite his exit from MLB, Mr. Kessinger's love for baseball never dwindled, and in 1991, he returned to his alma mater to become head coach of the Rebels, taking over for the legendary Gibbs; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Kessinger won 185 games over six seasons as the head baseball coach of the Ole Miss Rebels, and in 1995, he led Ole Miss to its first-ever 40-win season, as well as its first NCAA Regional berth since 1977; and

WHEREAS, as a coach and player-manager, Mr. Kessinger carried himself with unparalleled amounts of grace and prestige while providing invaluable leadership and personal guidance and inspiration to countless young men both on his teams and across the nation; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Kessinger's sons, Keith and Kevin, not only inherited his love of baseball but his talents as well, as they both followed in his footsteps and had outstanding Rebel careers before moving on to professional baseball, and his legacy continued even further when his grandson, Grae Kessinger, became the second All-American shortstop in the family, earning first-team honors in 2019; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize and commend the outstanding contributions of fine leaders such as Mr. Don Kessinger, who has shaped the lives of countless Mississippians and made immeasurable contributions to the University of Mississippi and the City of Oxford, bringing great honor to his school, his community and the entire State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Ole Miss legend and Major League Baseball All-Star, Mr. Don Kessinger, upon the celebration of his magnificent baseball career and the retirement of his No. 11 jersey by the University of Mississippi and extend best wishes for happiness on such a splendid occasion.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mr. Don Kessinger and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.