The Bailey Howell Interview
By:
Michael D. McClellan
|
Monday, January 17th, 2005
You were born on January 20, 1937 in Middleton,
Tennessee. Please take me back to your childhood in
Middleton and share some of the things that stand out
from those early days?
Middleton
was a very small town of maybe 300 people or so, and our
family actually lived plumb out of the city limits. It
was a rural, farming community with no industry to speak
about. Tennessee Gas built a pump station there during
my teenage years, with lines running from Texas and
Louisiana on up into Tennessee. Other than that, the
area was mostly made up of farms and small businesses.
Basketball was the only sport offered at our high school
– there were no football or baseball teams for the
students, so we’d play pick-up games whenever we could.
Our school year started in early August because we would
turn out in late September, during the cotton harvest
season. Basketball practice didn’t start until after we
resumed our classes, but we would get together on our
own and practice whenever we could.
We played basketball most of the year. After the
regular season was over we would play in the regional
and class tournaments, and then we’d play informally
through the spring and summer. We only attended school
eight months out of the year – we were always out in
May, so that we could help chop cotton – so it was
important to have a sport to play when we weren’t
working.
You were an All-State basketball player at Middleton
High School in 1954 and 1955. As a senior you averaged
32.1 points-per-game, and received All-America honors
for your outstanding play. Please share some of your
basketball memories from this period in your life.
We
played thirty-five games during my senior season – we
normally played twenty-five – and Middleton had some
pretty good teams during that era. We reached the state
tourney during my sophomore season, which was one of my
biggest thrills, but we were upset in the regional
tourney as a senior. That was a very disappointing
moment for everyone on the team because we felt we were
good enough to reach the state tournament.
Following my senior season, I was selected to play in
the annual Murray State High School North-South All-Star
Basketball Game. I played well, grabbed a bunch of
rebounds and was selected to the All-American team.
They don’t play that game anymore, but back then, that
was one of the most prestigious events in high school
basketball.
Following graduation, you enrolled at Mississippi State
University. What led you to sign with Mississippi
State?
I
wanted to play in the SEC. I had an opportunity to play
at the University of Mississippi, which was closer to
home, but I liked the casual atmosphere at Mississippi
State. James “Babe” McCarthy was the coach at the time,
and he was the reason I decided to enroll at MSU. He
was ahead of his time as far as recruiting was concerned
– he visited me, and made a real effort to sell the
school to my family. He made sure that other
individuals from the basketball program visited as
well. Kentucky showed some interest, but [Adolph] Rupp
sent Harry Lancaster, his assistant coach, with a
scholarship offer. That was it. MSU just did a much
better job. It finally came down to MSU and the
University of Tennessee, and Knoxville was just too far
away from home.
As a three-year letter-winner, you led MSU to a 61-14
record over three seasons, averaged 27 points-per-game,
and helped garner the school’s first-ever SEC crown. Of
your many collegiate successes, do you have one which
one stands out above all the rest?
Back
then you couldn’t play on the varsity team as a
freshman, but we defeated Kentucky during my sophomore
season. It was the first time that had happened in
thirty-five years, so that was a very big thrill.
Another goal was to win the SEC Championship, and we
were able to do that during my senior year. We also
beat UK in Starkville that season – that was very
satisfying, because back then we only played the SEC
East teams once a season, while the West teams were
always home-and-home.
