Eli Manning leads 2024 class of Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame inductees

• From football to fishing, here’s a look at who’s being inducted in this year’s Hall of Fame class.

The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame is set to induct eight new members on Saturday, with former Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning headlining the 2024 class.

According to the Hall of Fame, the class includes three former NFL football players, a tennis professional, a track and field star, a high school basketball coach, a baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster, and the first-ever bass fisherman to be inducted.

The induction ceremony will take place on the campus of Hinds Community College at the Clyde Muse Center.

Here’s a look at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame 2024 inductees as highlighted by the Hall:

Eli Manning

Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning set or tied 47 records during his collegiate career at Ole Miss, becoming the most honored offensive player in school history. He was the first player drafted in the 2004 NFL Draft, going on to play 16 years with the New York Giants. His #10 jersey has been retired by both Ole Miss and the New York Giants. Manning, the younger brother of NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning and son of Ole Miss legend Archie Manning, is in the New York Giants Ring of Honor, Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame, Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame, and has been selected as an SEC Legend. He will be eligible to be considered for induction in the NFL Hall of Fame in 2025.

Walter “Red” Barber

Major League Baseball radio broadcaster Red Barber first started working in radio while at the University of Florida. Born in Columbus, Mississippi, he got his big break thanks to Cincinnati Reds General Manager Larry MacPhail. Barber went on to broadcast for the Reds, the Brooklyn Dodgers, and the New York Yankees. He and his partner with the Yankees, Mel Allen, were the first two broadcasters honored with Induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Jimmy Smith

Five-time NFL Pro Bowler Jimmy Smith started his football career at Callaway High School in Jackson as a wide-receiver. He played college ball at Jackson State and was drafted 36^th overall in the 1992 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys where he would help the team win a Super Bowl on special teams. In 1995, Jaguars Head Coach Tom Coughlin signed Smith to the team as a receiver. Smith led the league in passes caught in 1999 and became a fixture for a decade in the Jacksonville offense. Over his career, Smith caught 862 passes for 12,287 yards and 67 touchdowns and retired as the Jaguars All-Time Leading Receiver.

Becky Vest

Becky Vest attended Provine High School in Jackson. She won two State Championships in tennis in both middle school and high school before attending Odessa Junior College and Trinity University in Texas. After college, Vest turned pro and played on the Virginia Slims European Tour. She went on to play in the French Open, U.S. Open, and Wimbledon. In 1998, Vest was inducted into the Mississippi Tennis Hall of Fame. Notably, her mother, Dorothy Vest is also an inductee of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, making them the first mother-daughter duo to be inducted.

Jimmy Webb

Florence High School standout Jimmy Webb went on to play football at Mississippi State where he earned All-American status, All-SEC honors, and All-Academic Status. He has been called the top defensive lineman in Mississippi State history, while also studying Veterinary Medicine. Webb was the drafted in the 1st round of the NFL by the San Francisco 49ers and played six seasons. In 1981, he played with the San Diego Chargers helping the team win their division and their first round playoff game. Webb settled in Turlock, California where he worked in embryo transfer and ran his family farm. He has been inducted into the Mississippi State Athletic Hall of Fame, selected as an SEC Legend, and selected to the 75^th Anniversary Sun Bowl Team in 2008.

Savante Stringfellow

Savantè Stringfellow attended Provine High School in Jackson where he was a track and field standout. He competed in the long jump, ran hurdles, and had a high jump of 6’11”. He then went to Ole Miss where long Jump was his specialty. Stringfellow claimed three NCAA titles as well as six All-American titles. In 2000, he earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, where he won a Silver Medal in the long jump. Stringfellow has won titles in the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, Monaco, and Hungary. He is also a member of the Ole Miss Athletic Hall of Fame.

Richard Duease

Richard Duease attended Mississippi State and began his coaching career at Manchester Academy in Yazoo City. He later moved to Lee Academy in Clarksdale to coach men’s and women’s basketball. In 1982, he was hired at Madison-Ridgeland Academy, where he still coaches today. While at MRA, Coach Duease has averaged over 30 wins per season and his teams have won 33 State Championships and 15 Overall MAIS Championships. Now in his 49^th season, Duease has a men’s basketball record of 1209-433 and a women’s basketball record of 592-271.

Paul Elias

Paul Elias is a native of Laurel and is the first Professional Bass Fisherman to be selected for the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. Elias is regard as the greatest fisherman Mississippi has produced. He began tournament fishing as a pro in 1979 and still competes today. In 1982, Elias won the Bassmaster’s Classic Championship in Montgomery, Alabama. In 2008, he set a record for the largest four-day five-bass limit in one tournament of 132 pounds 8 ounces on Lake Falcon in Texas. Over his career, Elias has won six tournaments and had over 50 top-ten finishes.