University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Baseball Program to Rededicate the Hatten Grove
3/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 4, 2009
The Southern Miss baseball program will rededicate the Stephen Lane Hatten Memorial Grove at noon on Saturday before the Cal State Fullerton game.
The Stephen Lane Hatten Memorial Grove serves as a living memorial to former Golden Eagle Stephen Hatten, who lost his long battle with cancer on May 2, 1998.
Since its inception, it has been an area located directly behind the grandstands, featuring benches, tables, a pavilion, and live trees. The Grove was moved to its new permanent home, just inside the main entrance to Pete Taylor Park, last season after the completion of the recent stadium expansion.
"It is great memorial to him, as well as it also gives our program something special at our stadium," Southern Miss Head Coach Corky Palmer said. "It couldn't have happened for a better person. That is the way I want our baseball program to be perceived. We want to excel in the classroom, on the field, and always head in the direction of our goals. He had goals to be a solid baseball player and an outstanding student."
Hatten, a Hattiesburg High product who signed with Southern Miss in 1992, was diagnosed with leukemia about the same time he decided to attend Southern Miss. He missed his entire freshman season, while battling the disease, but came back in 1994 to play in five games as a catcher for the Golden Eagles. That summer, the cancer that had been in remission returned, spelling an end to Hatten's playing career.
Despite his battle for life, Hatten remained in school and, ultimately, graduated with honors. In 1997, he received the R. J. Bishop Mississippian Award, the University's highest student honor, given annually to a student who endures and overcomes hardships in pursuit of a degree from Southern Miss.
At the time of his death, Hatten had already been accepted to the University of Mississippi Medical School in Jackson. The State College Board approved a request from the Southern Miss Foundation for the construction of the Grove. The money to finance the project was raised through individual donations. In addition to the Grove, there is also an Athletic Scholarship Endowment in the name of Stephen Hatten that is awarded every year to a deserving Southern Miss baseball player.
"Stephen exemplified exactly what I want our baseball program to be about," Palmer said. "He was a kid who was dedicated to his sport as well as his academic success. He displayed a lot of courage, while fighting his battle with cancer. I think it is great that we have a scholarship named after him.
"He had great courage to persevere through everything. Stephen was not a great player, but he would have played here because of his courage and determination. He was the kind of person that I would have loved to have the opportunity to coach. He was well-disciplined, always had a great attitude and did whatever was needed in order to get the job done."
-southernmiss.com-
