Northeast Mississippi Community College Athletics

Jerry "Lefty" Harrelson's life was filled with sports essentially from the beginning. He grew up in rural Prentiss County and participated in youth baseball programs in Baldwyn, Corinth and Tupelo. 

Harrelson was a sharp shooting basketball player that stood out on the diamond as well at Wheeler High School. He earned a spot on the North Mississippi All-Star team following his senior season on the court in 1962. 

He accepted scholarship offers to continue his athletic career at then-Northeast Mississippi Junior College. Harrelson suited up for multi-time hall of fame headman Bonner Arnold on the hardwood and for coach Hal Hughes on the baseball team. 

Harrelson helped the men's basketball program capture the then-Mississippi Junior College Conference (MJCC) north half championship during the 1963-64 campaign. The Tigers defeated Holmes Community College by a score of 62-48 in the title contest. 

He was listed as a "stocky" guard and forward. Harrelson had a season-high 11 points during his sophomore year in a 100-71 victory by Northeast over rival Northwest Mississippi Community College. 

Harrelson was stellar both at the plate and on the mound for the Tigers. He topped Northeast in 1963 with a .381 batting average, which included a three-hit effort in an 8-4 triumph over Northwest. 

He was one of the aces of Northeast's pitching staff one year later. Harrelson collected a pair of wins versus Holmes, including a five-hitter in an 8-2 decision by the Tigers in their home opener. 

Harrelson spent the majority of his professional career as a coach and an educator. He held various positions for baseball, boys basketball, girls basketball and football teams at Burnsville, Iuka and Jumpertown schools over the course of 16 years. 

He resigned from his coaching duties in 1987, but continued to teach for nearly two more decades at Colbert County (Ala.) High School, Hardin County (Tenn.) Middle School and Iuka Middle School. 

The subjects he instructed included drivers education, history, physical education, social studies and special education. Harrelson officially retired in 2006 with a total of 35.5 years in the public school system between his five stops in the tri-state area. 

Harrelson's impact on local sports extended well after he blew his final whistle in the 1980s. He served Iuka High School as a bus driver for its athletic programs and was the public address announcer for the baseball team from 1987-92. 

He was the basketball game clock operator for Tishomingo County High School after the school districts consolidated in the early 1990s. Harrelson also umpired baseball at the prep level for many years and received several postseason assignments. 

Harrelson proudly followed his son Richy Harrelson, who is now the head baseball coach at Northeast, around the state and the Southeast in general during his record-breaking playing career at Iuka, Tishomingo County and the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). 

He was in attendance for many of Richy's milestone moments, including the 2006 state championship at Lafayette County High School and the 2009 trip to the College World Series (CWS) with the University of Southern Mississippi. 

Harrelson was sent to Germany after being drafted by the United States Army in 1966. He graduated from Mississippi State University and married his wife of 45 years, Lana, in the summer of 1971. 

He is also a member of the Northeast Mississippi Coaches Association for Better Baseball (NEMCABB) Hall of Fame. Harrelson, whose most important title was "popaw" to grandchildren Gage and Mary Cille, died in October 2016.