University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
James Ray Carpenter during his Golden Eagle basketball days.
Southern Miss Athletics Mourns the Passing of James Ray Carpenter
9/19/2018 1:00:00 PM | Men's Golf
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- James Ray Carpenter, a talented two-sport standout in both basketball and baseball 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, golf, passed away Wednesday morning. He was 91.
As a basketball player for Southern Miss, Carpenter had an important role 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, including a season with Lee Floyd, who 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.
Carpenter graduated from Southern Miss with a B.S. and a subsequent Master's Degree in physical education in 1951.
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 former head pro at the University's golf course starting in 1964, he also served as the school's golf coach from 1968-1980. He became 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 in 1987 and 1988, one of the most prestigious positions in all of golf.
Among his many national and state accolades included holding the titles of President of the Mississippi PGA (1973, 1975, 1976), President of the Gulf States PGA (1974), a member of the National PGA Board of Directors (1980-82) and Chairman of the 1985 Ryder Cup.
Carpenter was inducted into the M-Club Alumni Association Sports Hall of Fame, the Southern Miss Alumni Hall of Fame, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and the Gulf States PGA Hall of Fame; and a member of the Memorial Tournament's Captain's Club. On Oct. 4, he was to be inducted into the Hattiesburg Hall of Fame.
Carpenter was preceded in death by his wife, Mary, in 2009. He is survived by five children: Richard, Deborah, Jimmy (a PGA Life Member); Melinda and Gary, 13 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Through it all, Carpenter remained a strong supporter of Southern Miss and its athletic programs and never missed an opportunity to talk about and brag about his alma mater.
Memorial plans are pending.
As a basketball player for Southern Miss, Carpenter had an important role 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, including a season with Lee Floyd, who 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.
Carpenter graduated from Southern Miss with a B.S. and a subsequent Master's Degree in physical education in 1951.
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 former head pro at the University's golf course starting in 1964, he also served as the school's golf coach from 1968-1980. He became 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 in 1987 and 1988, one of the most prestigious positions in all of golf.
Among his many national and state accolades included holding the titles of President of the Mississippi PGA (1973, 1975, 1976), President of the Gulf States PGA (1974), a member of the National PGA Board of Directors (1980-82) and Chairman of the 1985 Ryder Cup.
Carpenter was inducted into the M-Club Alumni Association Sports Hall of Fame, the Southern Miss Alumni Hall of Fame, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and the Gulf States PGA Hall of Fame; and a member of the Memorial Tournament's Captain's Club. On Oct. 4, he was to be inducted into the Hattiesburg Hall of Fame.
Carpenter was preceded in death by his wife, Mary, in 2009. He is survived by five children: Richard, Deborah, Jimmy (a PGA Life Member); Melinda and Gary, 13 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Through it all, Carpenter remained a strong supporter of Southern Miss and its athletic programs and never missed an opportunity to talk about and brag about his alma mater.
Memorial plans are pending.
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