James R. Carpenter (1977) - Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame

James R. Carpenter

Induction:
1977

   James Ray Carpenter was a talented two sport standout for Southern Miss in the late 1940s and went on to bring great recognition and distinction to the school and the community through his participation and association with a third sport.
   As a basketball player for Southern Miss, Carpenter was an important part of reestablishing the school's program after World War II, and his skills and talents helped him become one of the finest players of the era.
   On the Southern Miss baseball team he was an outstanding pitcher, who won more than his share of games, as one of the most popular players on the club.
   What made Carpenter one of the school's finest athletes was that he was the type of player that could study a situation, figure out how he could utilize the situation to his advantage and then put it into effect in a game situation.
   In basketball he was known as a better than average shooter, a superb ball handler and an aggressive defender. He was one of those players that you wanted to be handling the ball when the final seconds ticked down in a game. He had the knack of making the big play, to win a game, or to bail the team out of a tough spot.
   Over a three year period (1947-48, 1948-49 & 1949-50), he was a regular on some talented teams. The 1947-48 team coached by J.D. Stonestreet would post a 7-10 record, while the 1948-49 squad coached by Jess Thompson would go 6-10. But Lee Floyd began a successful reign as head coach in 1949-50 and led the team to an impressive 18-7 record.
   In baseball as a pitcher, Carpenter was the guy that you wanted on the mound for a crucial game or in a critical situation. His fast ball was outstanding and curve ball deceptive, allowing him to record more than his share of strikeouts.
   He played for Southern Miss on the diamond for four seasons (1948-1951). The 1948 and 1949 teams were coached by Thad (Pie) Vann and finished with marks of 11-11 and 10-10 respectively. Clyde (Heifer) Stuart took over for the 1950 and 1951 campaigns and the teams finished 5-6 and 7-6-1.
   Carpenter would go on to become even more famous in a sport in which he never even played until he was finished with college, golf. First as an amateur and later when he turned professional, Carpenter became one the state's greatest ambassadors of golf.
   As the head pro at the University's golf course, he began very much involved with the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) and served as a rules official at every important professional and amateur event in the world.
   His peers ultimately honored him when they elected him the President of the PGA, one of the most prestigious positions in all of golf.
   Through it all Carpenter has remained a strong supporter of Southern Miss and its athletic programs and never misses an opportunity to talk about and brag about his alma mater.