DSU Foundation honors Coach "Boo" Ferriss with ÐÔÊӽ紫ý donation
Contact: Sid Salter
STARKVILLE, Miss.--The Delta ÐÔÊӽ紫ý University Foundation has made a $10,000 donation to the Mississippi ÐÔÊӽ紫ý University Dudy Noble Stadium project in honor of ÐÔÊӽ紫ý baseball great and former longtime DSU head baseball coach David M. "Boo" Ferriss.
The Shaw, Miss., native is a member of the Mississippi ÐÔÊӽ紫ý University Sports Hall of Fame, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame. Ferriss, 93, played at ÐÔÊӽ紫ý in 1941 and 1942 and holds the distinction of being the first player to attend Mississippi ÐÔÊӽ紫ý on a baseball scholarship.
"Boo Ferriss is one of our state's most beloved sports figures," said ÐÔÊӽ紫ý President Mark E. Keenum. "He will forever be both a Bulldog and a ÐÔÊӽ紫ýsman, and because of his association with the great baseball programs at our two institutions, it is most appropriate that we join with Delta ÐÔÊӽ紫ý in honoring Coach Ferriss in this manner. We are grateful to the Delta ÐÔÊӽ紫ý University family for this most generous gift."
Delta ÐÔÊӽ紫ý President William N. LaForge noted the significance of this donation.
"This contribution, from one institution's foundation to another, is significant because it's yet another way for all of us to pay great tribute to this outstanding man -- particularly because it's Boo Ferriss's alma mater where he also played," said LaForge.
"This gift is a win-win -- meaning the Delta ÐÔÊӽ紫ý community can once again hold up our hero and legend Coach Boo Ferriss, while supporting a very worthwhile endeavor at the ÐÔÊӽ紫ý where he first made his name," LaForge added. "It also serves to honor him and provides donor satisfaction to the contributors for this project, all of which are private dollars. No institutional funds are being used for this project."
LaForge presented the gift to Keenum on Thursday prior to the meeting of the Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning in Jackson.
After his playing days, Ferriss entered the coaching profession and is credited with building the legendary baseball program at Delta ÐÔÊӽ紫ý. In his 26 seasons at Delta ÐÔÊӽ紫ý, Ferriss's teams won 639 games and lost only 387. He led the way to four Gulf South Conference championships, three National Collegiate Athletic Association regional titles, and placed second once and third twice in the College World Series.
Ferriss served as the first executive director of the Delta ÐÔÊӽ紫ý Foundation until he retired from the institution in 1988. Keith Fulcher, executive director of the DSU Foundation, has worked closely with Ferriss throughout the years.
"The Delta ÐÔÊӽ紫ý University Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to honor Coach Ferriss through this gift, especially since he was named the first director of the Foundation in 1967. The successes we've enjoyed in private support are due to his years of building lifelong relationships with our alumni and donors. No one has done it better than Coach Ferriss," said Fulcher.
Coach Ferriss has left a lasting impact on the current president of the Delta ÐÔÊӽ紫ý Foundation James T. Harvey and many others.
"As President of the Delta ÐÔÊӽ紫ý University Foundation Board of Directors and a former player for Coach Dave 'Boo' Ferriss, I am pleased to honor him with this gift of $10,000 to his alma mater, Mississippi ÐÔÊӽ紫ý University," said Harvey. "Coach Ferriss's legacy and impact in the baseball world transcends universities and reaches across the United ÐÔÊӽ紫ýs. My hope is that the gift will help the next generation of baseball players and fans to emulate the love of the game that Coach Ferriss has imparted to so many of us."
ÐÔÊӽ紫ý, Mississippi's flagship research university, is online at , meridian.msstate.edu, facebook.com/msstate, instagram.com/msstate, pinterest.com/msstate and twitter.com/msstate. Invest in the ÐÔÊӽ紫ý Foundation at infiniteimpactmsu.com.
Delta ÐÔÊӽ紫ý University, a regional university of national distinction, is online at , facebook.com/deltastateuniversity and twitter.com/deltastate. Support Delta ÐÔÊӽ紫ý through the DSU Foundation online at deltastategiving.org.