MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Michel

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING ALL-PRO DEFENSIVE END AND OKOLONA NATIVE JACK GREGORY UPON HIS INDUCTION INTO THE MISSISSIPPI SPORTS HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2000.

WHEREAS, the Jackson Touchdown Club and Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame have unveiled the historic Class of 2000 which features Jack Gregory, the Okolona native who played at Delta State and was an All-Pro defensive end for the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants; and

WHEREAS, Jack Gregory is one of the all-time defensive ends in professional football who played for the NFL's Cleveland Browns and New York Giants; born in Tupelo and raised in Okolona, Earl Jackson Gregory, Jr., was a 4-year football letterman at Okolona High School from 1958 through his graduation in 1962; like so many athletes of his era, Jack played on the football and basketball teams and was a member of the track squad; he was an All-Tombigbee Conference player on the gridiron and the basketball court in 1962, his senior season; he received the Sportsmanship Award in 1961 for his football activities and he was a member of the first Okolona High School track team to win the Tombigbee Conference meet and a District title in 1962; although he only participated in track in his senior year, Jack was active in the shot put, relay and high jump events; he finished first in the shot put in the conference finals, second in the District, and fourth place in the state championship meet; following graduation, Jack left Okolona and arrived at the University of Chattanooga, where he played tight end and defensive end from 1962 through 1965; he was an Honorable Mention All-American for the UTC Moccasins in 1965; Jack was drafted by two professional football teams as a future junior: in the 9th round of a special NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns and by the AFL's Buffalo Bills. Instead of entering the pro-football draft wars, he transferred to Delta State, where he again played tight end and defensive end plus used his skills at linebacker; Gregory set a Statesmen school record in 1966 by gaining 557 yards on pass receptions at the tight end position; as a member of the Delta State track team, he broke another record by taking first place in the shot put in the 1966 Southwestern Invitational Tack Meet in Memphis; he began his pro-football career with the Cleveland Browns, the team his father, Jack Gregory, Sr., played guard for in the 1940's; nicknamed "Big Jack" in the pros, Gregory was a dominating defensive end in the NFL; after he spent two years learning the ropes, Jack emerged as an All-Pro player; performing for the legendary Blanton Collier, Gregory led a swarming Cleveland defense; at 6'-5", 250 pounds, Jack showed he had a knack for the linebacker position with his size and speed; he spent the first two seasons at defensive end or tackle and was excellent in pass rushing situations; Jack usually had to catch up in the summer Browns' camp in his early days as he took time out to serve the Mississippi National Guard at Camp Shelby; he served in the Guard a total of six years from 1967 through 1973 in the 223 Engineering Battalion, Company C, in Okolona; succeeding Browns standout Bill Glass on the right side of the line in 1968, Jack became one of the best quarterback sackers in the league who could stop the run with equal ability; he had an outstanding year in 1969 and was selected for the Pro Bowl along with 7 other Browns teammates: QB Bill Nelson, WR Paul Warfield, RB Leroy Kelly, center Fred Hoaglin, tackle Walt Johnson, LB Jim Houston, and MSHOF member and former Ole Miss guard Gene Hickerson; for his performance on and off the field in 1969, the Okolona Chamber of Commerce honored him with an appreciation award; Jack said that being named to the Pro Bowl was one of the happiest days of his life; he played for the East in the game played in Los Angeles on January 4, 1970; Gregory followed up his pro bowl year by being named the Stan Cofall Award winner as the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year presented by the Cleveland Touchdown Club; one of Jack's more gratifying moments of his career happened in the Browns' opener of the 1970 season against the New York Jets when Gregory sacked QB Joe Namath in the first ABC Monday Night football game ever aired; it was nothing personal as Jack said that Broadway Joe represented one of the best QB's in the business; after the sack, Jack said: "I waited a long, long time for that"; Jack was tutored at Cleveland by defensive line coach and NFL Hall of Famer Dick Modzelewski; during the off season, Jack operated a farm in Okolona where he raised cotton, soybeans, hay, cattle and quarter horses; Gregory's first stint with the Browns lasted from 1967 through 1972 when he played out his option contract with Cleveland; rejecting offers from the Browns' management, Jack made history by becoming the first Cleveland player to become a free agent; after negotiating with the Washington Redskins, the Miami Dolphins, the New Orleans Saints plus a team in the Canadian Football League, Gregory inked a deal with the New York Giants; in exchange for signing Jack, the Giants had to compensate the Browns and gave up their first two picks in the 1973 NFL draft; Jack became an instant defensive star in the Big Apple, playing for the next 7 seasons; in 1972, Jack had his finest season by leading the NFL in quarterback sacks with 21 and he was runner-up to NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors; he finished second in the balloting for the MVP award in the league; the New Jersey Giant Fan Club awarded him their MVP award and he was presented the Phil King Memorial Award by the Giants organization; Jack was named first team All-NFL by UPI and the Pro Football Writers and he appeared in his second Pro Bowl; he toured Vietnam on a USO Tour in February 1972, and received a certificate of appreciation for "Contribution to Morale and Welfare of the U.S. and other Military Forces in the Republic of Vietnam"; Jack received this award from General Creighton W. Abrams of the U.S. Army at the U.S. Military Assistance Command post in Saigon; he was also listed as one of the most Outstanding Men of America in 1972; Gregory emerged as the captain of the Giants defense for 5 seasons in New York; after another solid year in 1974, Jack played in his third Pro Bowl; in the 1975 season, Jack again had the most quarterback sacks on the team and was named the Giants' MVP and Defensive Player of the Year; through six seasons, Gregory had a total of 73 quarterback sacks, one of the leading totals in the league during this era of fantastic pass rushers; during his playing days in the NFL, durable Jack only missed 4 games: the last 3 games of the year in 1976 when he sat out due to a knee injury and one exhibition game; he scored his only touchdown in a pro game in 1977, when he scooped up a fumble and ran it 38 yards into the end zone in a pre-season game against his old team, the Browns; he had another banner year in 1977 as he racked up a Giants team record 91 tackles with 32 solos, 59 assists and 9 QB sacks; following the 1977 campaign, Jack once again became a free agent and weighed his option for signing with another NFL team; he eventually came to terms with the Giants through the 1979 season; Jack inked his new contract at Giants Stadium before the showing of the Giant's highlight film for 1977 entitled "Striving for the Goal"; Jack played his 13th and final season of pro football in 1979 at his old stomping grounds in Cleveland; his numbers for QB sacks in a career rank among the best in the annals of the NFL record book; in the all-time records of the Giants, Jack ranks 6th with 65 sacks in his 6 seasons behind New York greats Lawrence Taylor, Jim Katcavage, George Martin, Leonard Marshall and Andy Robustelli; he is second on the Browns QB sack leaders for a season, trailing the man he replaced, Bill Glass, by only half a sack with 14 in 1970; already deeply involved in his community, Jack returned home after his pro football career and established himself as a superb citizen; the State of Mississippi recognized Jack for his accomplishments in 1978 in House Concurrent Resolution No. 67, which commended Gregory for his pro football playing career; in the same year, on August 4-5, Okolona held an Appreciation Day Festival honoring Jack; "Big Jack" is no stranger to Hall of Fame induction as he was enshrined into the Delta State Sports Hall of Fame in 1985 and named to the All-time Kappa Alpha Fraternity Alumni Pro Football Hall of Fame; Jack is most noted in Mississippi charity circles for his incredible devotion of time and talent to the Easter Seals; he participated in the Easter Seal Telethon from 1975 through 1991; Jack was named to the National Easter Seal Sports Council in 1978 and was a Mississippi Easter Seal Family in 1979; he served as President of the Easter Seal Board of Directors in 1988; from 1978 through 1984, Jack organized and hosted the Jack Gregory Easter Seal Rodeo, which gathered contributions of over $40,000.00; since 1980, Jack has co-hosted the Easter Seal telethon along with WLBT-TV's weatherman Woody Asaaf; the pair have raised millions of dollars through their time and efforts; Jack was honored in 1990 with an Easter Seal Reception for 15 years of service to the Easter Seal Society and the Telethon; the Mississippi House of Representatives in House Resolution No. 34 recognized Gregory for his Easter Seal endeavors; one year later, in 1991, Jack was honored at the Easter Seal National Convention with an award for the longest service by a professional athlete in America as a telethon host; following his football career, Jack has led a diversified life in the business world, balancing his time with his charity work and farming chores; he served as a scout for the Denver Broncos for 3 years and was a talent scout for the Ed Keaty Financial Management Corporation; a well-known auctioneer, Jack worked for the Yokley & Lundy Auction Company out of Belzoni and the Dewitt Auction Company from Sikeston, Missouri; he was the Founder, Vice President, Ring Master and Auctioneer for the Rebel Auction Company; he is the President of Jack Gregory, Jr., Enterprises, a furniture company, and he remains active as a cattleman; Jack has been Executive Director of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors in Jackson since 1993; an "Okolona Icon," Jack maintains membership in the Okolona Presbyterian Church, the Okolona Country Club and the Okolona American Legion:

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 All-Pro Defensive End and Okolona native Jack Gregory upon his induction into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2000, and wish him continued success in his future endeavors.

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