LORMAN — Bobby Hill said he knows just how deep Alcorn State’s athletic tradition is.

That’s why being inducted to the Alcorn State Sports Hall of Fame is such a humbling experience for him, he said.

Hill, a Natchez native, will be inducted into the hall Friday at the Vicksburg Convention Center along with 11 other former Alcorn athletes.

“It’s a great honor for me,” Hill said. “When you think about Alcorn’s athletic tradition and who all came through here, I don’t know what else to say other than I’m humbled.”

Hill played shortstop for the Braves’ baseball team from 1976 to 1980, finishing with a career batting average of .350 as a leadoff hitter. Hill said he enjoyed simply playing the game, and wasn’t worried about getting into the hall during his career.

“When I was playing, I didn’t even know there was a Hall of Fame, other than a brief mention,” Hill said.

“I was just enjoying what I was doing and enjoying the teammates and friendships I made, not just at Alcorn, but all the universities we played.”

Although Hill played multiple positions in high school, he got his wish to play shortstop when he arrived to the Alcorn campus.

“I always figured I could control the game (at that position),” he said. “I always wanted to be the one who, when we needed an out, the ball came to me.”

Being in control is also something he noticed about several major league players he looked up to, Hill said.

“I was fortunate enough to be in camp with Pete Rose and Joe Morgan one time, and it dawned on me, the reason they were good was because they were in control,” Hill said.

“That always stuck with me. I talked to people like Tommy Lasorda the late Sparky Anderson, and they told me the shortstop would always be in control of the game, outside of the pitcher and catcher.”

Hill was nominated as captain of the freshmen when he was playing, and continued being a team captain each year he played at Alcorn.

“I was treated like any other freshman when I was nominated my freshman year. I still had to carry equipment,” Hill joked.

Being a leader was not something he shied away from, however.

“I tried to lead by example,” Hill said. “If you lead by example, people will follow. If you try to be vocal, you tend to turn people off. That’s the way I look at it.”

Hill was also a terror on the basepaths. He said he ran a 9.8 100-yard dash, a 6.4 60-yard dash and 4.3 40-yard dash during his playing days.

“I was the fastest player in Alcorn baseball history,” Hill said.

Hill is currently an assistant coach for the St. Francis Catholic High School baseball team in Gainesville, Fla. Before going to Gainesville, Hill was a scout for the Pittsburg Pirates, and the former baseball coach at North Natchez High School.

“I coached at North Natchez until we consolidated,” Hill said. “I definitely enjoyed it. We had a good program. It didn’t start out as such, but it definitely ended up that way.

“The people in Natchez always supported my program tremendously, and I deeply appreciate that.”