MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2016 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Witherspoon, Barnett, Blount, Burton, Caughman, Dearing, Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), McDaniel
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE OUTSTANDING AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS CAREER OF KANSAS CITY ROYALS CENTER FIELDER AND MCCOMB, MISSISSIPPI, NATIVE JARROD DYSON.
WHEREAS, Kansas City Royals Center Fielder Jarrod Dyson is a native of McComb, Mississippi, and is a hometown hero; and
WHEREAS, Jarrod Martel Dyson, born August 15, 1984, and raised in McComb, Mississippi, attended McComb High School, where he starred in baseball and football as a running back. A 2004 graduate of McComb High School, Jarrod was an outstanding baseball player for McComb High School Tigers. He attended and played baseball at Southwest Mississippi Community College in Summit, Mississippi, graduated with an Associate Degree in 2006, was drafted by Major League Baseball franchise Kansas City Royals and signed June 9, in the 2006 Amateur Draft 50th Round; 1,475th overall pick; and
WHEREAS, at McComb High School, Dyson earned All-Division honors but was passed over by most scouts due to his slight stature. Dyson later attended Southwest Mississippi Community College. At Southwest, Dyson tied the single-season record with seven triples and set a record with 47 runs. Dyson was drafted by the Royals in the 50th round, 1,475th overall, of the 2006 amateur draft. Dyson began his professional career that year, playing for the AZL Royals and hitting .273 with no home runs and 19 stolen bases in 51 games. He played in 10 games in 2007, all for the Burlington Bees, hitting .270. He spent 2008 with the Wilmington Blue Rocks, hitting .260 with 39 stolen bases in 93 games. He split the 2009 season between the Bees (17 games) and Northwest Arkansas Naturals (63 games), hitting a combined .276 with 46 stolen bases. He began 2010 in the Minor Leagues, splitting the season between the AZL Royals, Blue Rocks, Naturals and Omaha Royals; and
WHEREAS, Dyson was first called up to the Major Leagues in September 2010, joining the Royals and getting some playing time in center field. He made the team out of spring training in 2011, and took on the role of a pinch-running specialist. He was regarded as one of the fastest outfielders in the game. With Melky Cabrera having a breakout season in center field, Dyson spent the majority of the 2011 season in Triple-A. In 102 games, Dyson finished the 2012 season with 76 hits in 292 at-bats leading to a .260 batting average. In 2013, Dyson set a career best with 34 steals and had a slash line of .258/.326/.366. He furthered his role as a valuable player off the bench for late-inning baserunning. In spring training in 2014, Dyson tied for the Major League lead in stolen bases with 10, while not being caught once. He finished the regular season tied for third in the American League with 36 steals. He played in a career-high 120 games and had a career-high batting average (.269) and RBI total (24); and
WHEREAS, in 2015, Dyson played an important role in the Royals' win of the 2015 World Series against the New York Mets. The Royals were up three games to one in the fifth game of the World Series. In the 12th inning, the Royals and Mets were tied at two runs each. After a single to right field, Dyson, known for his speed, pinch ran for Salvador Perez. Dyson proceeded to steal second base. When Alex Gordon grounded out to first, Dyson got to third base. Then, Christian Colòn singled to left allowing Dyson to reach home plate giving the Royals their first lead of the game. The Royals finished the inning with a total of five runs, winning the game 7-2 and becoming the 2015 World Series Champions; and
WHEREAS, Jarrod Dyson has three older brothers and a younger sister, and was raised by Cecilia, his mother. The family lived in public housing until he was eight years old. In January 2016, the City of McComb, Mississippi, announced it was renaming one of its streets Dyson Drive to honor him; and
WHEREAS, never before has a McComb native or McComb High School graduate achieved athletic success at such a high level in professional sports; and it is with great pride that we acknowledge a sports career of a Mississippian who has brought pride to the citizens of McComb and 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 recognize the outstanding amateur and professional sports career of Kansas City Royals Center Fielder and McComb, Mississippi, native Jarrod Dyson, and extend the best wishes of the Legislature to Jarrod for future success.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Jarrod Dyson, forwarded to the General Manager of the Kansas City Royals, the Principal of McComb High School and the President of Southwest Mississippi Community College, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.