William McGehee headed an all-star cast of scholar-athlete honorees at the Natchez Eola Radisson Hotel during the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame’s annual ceremonies last Thursday for young area prep athletes.

McGehee, a Trinity senior, was nevertheless the typical honoree — a young athlete who excelled on the football field for the Saints while doing extremely well in the classroom.

And he was awarded the NFFHF’s top scholar-athlete scholarship of $1,750. What a sendoff for one who has &uot;kept his hand to the plow&uot; before attending college. I salute you, William, as does the entire Miss-Lou, which the NFFHF represents.

Vidalia High’s Jeremy Rowzee was right there with McGehee as a scholarship winner, placing this $1,250 grant under his arm before the huge banquet crowd.

A tip of the ole football helmet, too, to Ferriday’s A’Ron Thomas, Patrick Beasley of Cathedral, ACCS’ Timothy J. Baker, Tom Terry Milliken of Huntington and Michael Hamilton of Natchez High, all scholarship recipients.

Natchez Democrat Sports Editor Joey Martin told you all about the NFFHF night out, but I just had to salute award winners, plus adding the following personal comments:

LOOK what the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame, Miss-Lou Chapter, did for me! I’ll never forget what the old athletes of years past, most of whom belong to the sponsoring NFFHF, came up with during last week’s banquet. In fact, there’s no way I can adequately thank them.

I was humbled that the Natchez Chapter would award me a truly beautiful plaque, one I will always cherish and hang in my &uot;writing&uot; room at home. Then, of course, that Natchez Mayor Larry L. &uot;Butch&uot; Brown would declare Thursday, Feb. 24, &uot;Glenvall Estes Day&uot; overwhelmed me – the decree’s contents and meaning.

But just as meaningful was what some of the old athletes written about over the past 50-plus years took the mike and said. Thank you, fellas.

And The Natchez Democrat’s running the National Football Foundation’s unique ad saluting a labor of love with the newspaper. How grateful I am.

In fact, one can be so grateful as to make a monkey of himself. I hope I haven’t done that today. I remind that my entire writing experience has truly been a labor of love, and that I want to thank everyone – particularly the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame – for including me.

I was just as proud that former NHS educator-coach Claude Porter was awarded the Foundation’s &uot;Distinguished American Award 2000.&uot; Claude was a model athlete, then coach and administrator in the Natchez Public Schools. And now model retired citizen.

E.T. James was a great choice for the &uot;Contributor to Amateur Football&uot; award. Always &uot;Mr. James&uot; to me, I also respectfully say that he’s a good example of a person regarded as a gentleman, a scholar and an athlete by his peers. And also model retired citizen.

And young and successful Louisiana Tech head football coach Jack Bicknell fully filled the bill as NFFHF motivational speaker. Great choice as featured speaker!

*I was talking to someone after the night’s program concerning 1953 Jackson Central basketball coach Pop Allen and something he told me the night Claude Porter’s NHS Rebels walloped his Tigers 79-49 for the Big Eight Championship, and Tony Byrne scored 42 points … &uot;I only wish Claude would have done one thing differently – benched Tony Byrne!&uot; He was saluting a great one, wasn’t he?