Friends have fond memories of Steve Hull

By Marty Stamper / staff writer

CHOCTAW — The team of Lindsey Hall, Willie Frazier, Robert Frazier and Richard Mathis had the low score in the fifth-annual Steve Hull Memorial Golf

Tournament Thursday at Dancing Rabbit Golf Club, but it could easily be argued that they weren’t the day’s only winners.

In fact, it was hard to find an unhappy soul after all the door prizes, flight awards, and recollections of the late West Lauderdale High School/East Mississippi Community College basketball coach were completed.

Fifty-six four-person teams competed in the event and, for the first time, both the Azaleas and the Oaks courses were needed.

“Five years ago, we had 15 teams,” said Hall, who doubles as tournament director. “Then we had 25 and then 30-35 the last couple years. Playing on 18 holes was a push, so we decided to try to take it to the next level.

“I thought if we got 40 teams this year, maybe 50, we’d do good and we ended up with 56. It’s unbelievable.

“After this year, I think we have enough for (Hull’s son) Trex to go to college. At some time, we’d like to get some corporate involvement to underwrite the tournament and endow a scholarship in Steve’s name to send a deserving student to college.”

Hall, Mathis and the two Fraziers shot a 20-under par 52 to edge the team of Judge Little, Steve Hampton, Jody Hurst and Steve Nelson by a stroke.

Bubba Hampton, Kelly Swain, Randy Pool and Jimmy Carle took third place with a 55.

Placing fourth, also with a 55, was the team of Josh Matthews, Elton Reed, Morgan Holder and Bo Mandel.

Five other teams also shot 55. They were Chad Harrison, Bo Welch, Joe Rush Jr., and David Weatherford; Aaron Davidson, David Rosenbaum and their two partners; Justin Brantley, Ed Brantley, Sparky Walker, and Russell Boltz; Dick Simmons, Reggie Collier, Jimmy Garrett and Sid Barnett; and Tommy Matthews, Lake Thoms, Hank Thoms and their partner.

And there was time to recall fond memories of Hull too.

“He was my best friend,” said Steve Austin, who was Hull’s assistant at West Lauderdale for three-and-a-half years. “A lot of people would describe him as their best friend. When you were with him, you were his best friend. That’s how he made you feel.

“He was just a fun person. Fun to be around. He was a great people person. He was a top-notch basketball coach. We had a lot of good times together. I miss him, there’s no doubt about it.”

His coaching friends from Scooba were on hand as well. “We coached together every year he was there,” said former East Mississippi women’s basketball coach Dale Peay. “There were a lot of bus rides together. Steve enjoyed talking. He was never at a loss for words. He kept us entertained and the bus driver awake. Once he had a few minutes to get over losses, he’d be entertaining.

“This is a tribute to him for this many people to come out and play in

this tournament. He’d have been the happiest one playing in this tournament.”

“He would have more fun today than anybody here,” current EMCC men’s basketball coach Clay Armstrong, who was Hull’s assistant at Scooba for two years, agreed. “That’s the neat thing about this, he would enjoy it more than

anybody. I think it’s neat that we’re able to do this.

“He had fun no matter where he was.”

“I spent half a year with him right when I got there and started helping coach (Jerry) Boatner with baseball,” said Hurst. “He was a great man and a great basketball coach. He was fun to be around. I played golf with him and had a good time all the time with him.

“He wasn’t a real good golfer, but he was a lot of fun when you got out there and played with him.

“He knew his basketball. He showed me a lot of things when I was starting to take over the girls. He taught me some things and showed me some stuff. Then he had a lot of success up there at Scooba too.”

Clearly, he had a lot of success with people too.