Frances (PeeWee) Gipson - Women’s basketball (1951-53)
Frances Gipson played basketball at PRCC from 1951-53, a time when it was a half-court game on both ends, and players
were limited in how many times they could dribble.
"When I started playing basketball in high school (at Columbia), you could only dribble the ball one time, then we got into the
half-court game and you could dribble the ball two times," recalls Gipson. "Then it was unlimited dribbling."
Gipson played her freshman season under her high school coach, Jamie Turnage, who came to PRCC as dean of women.
Turnage stayed one year and was replaced by Woodrow Daley, who coached the boys and girls teams.
Gipson was a point-guard for the Wildcats, who sported winning records in both her years. As a sophomore she was voted "Best Girl Athlete" at PRCC.
"What I loved about Pearl River back then was the family-like atmosphere," she said. "We did not have that many students back
then. The basketball team was especially close, mainly because several of us came down from Columbia together. That’s what I
enjoyed about the school."
Gipson lived on campus in Batson Hall. "We worked in the dining hall, getting out the plates and bringing the food out for the
students in big bowls," said Gipson.
She went on to graduate from Mississippi College in 1957 with an education degree. She spent some 30 years teaching at
schools and junior colleges in Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida before retiring in 1994. She looks forward to homecoming each
year at Pearl River and is especially looking forward to receiving the Hall of Fame honor.
"I am at a loss for words," said Gipson. "I didn’t do anything extra-ordinary, I didn’t think. This will be a place in my heart
forever."
NAME: Frances (PeeWee) Gipson
HOMETOWN: Lumberton
FAMILY: Eight nieces and nephews; 10 great nieces and nephews; three great, great nieces and nephews.
EDUCATION: graduated Columbia High School, 1951; graduated from PRCC, 1953; graduated Mississippi College, 1957
(B.S. in Education)
OCCUPATION: Teacher - Epps, La., one year; Gulf Coast Community College, 2 years; Central Florida Junior College, one
year; Epps, one year; Young Women’s Christian Assn. (YWCA), nine years; opened country grocery store, Lamar County;
taught at Purvis High School, seven years; Baxterville Attendance Center, 15 years; retired in 1994.
Dr. Charles Pigott - Football (1975-77)
Dr. Charles Pigott, a Pearl River County native, played football at PRCC from 1975-77. He was the center on the 1976 team
that finished 9-1 and defeated Northwest 17-7 for the MACJC State Championship.
He was elected by his teammates as a team captain of the 1976 team. Postseason accolades included being selected to the
All-Star and All-State teams along with being named as an honorable mention All-American by the NJCAA.
As a PRCC student, he was also selected a sophomore class favorite.
"Charles was not only a great player for us for two years, but he was also a great student," said his PRCC coach, J.C. Arban.
Pigott continued his education and football career at Delta State University where he was a two-year starter. He graduated from
DSU in 1979, before going on to the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where he earned his M.D. degree in 1985, and
served his surgical internship and residency.
He has been in the private practice of surgery at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo since 1990. While in Tupelo, he
has had numerous appointments within the hospital staff including co-director of the Trauma service and serving on Healthlink
board of directors.
He holds an appointment as a clinical associate professor of surgery in the Department of Surgery at UMMC.
NAME: Dr. Charles Pigott
HOMETOWN: Picayune
FAMILY: Wife, Jessica; 5 children
EDUCATION: graduated Picayune High School, 1975; graduated from PRCC, 1977; graduated from Delta State University,
1979; graduated University of Mississippi Medical Center, 1985.
OCCUPATION: Private practice of surgery, North Mississippi Medical Center, Tupelo
Claude Renfroe - Football (1955-57)
Renfroe played football at PRCC for three years, starting with his senior year of high school. He was too old to play his senior
year at Thomaston (Ga.) High School.
"Coach Holden was attending a clinic in Atlanta one summer and he drove to Thomaston one day," said Renfroe. "He said if I
came to PRCC to play football, he would give me a scholarship. So that’s what I did. I had never heard of Pearl River before
then."
For three years, Renfroe was the starting running back and outside linebacker for the Wildcats. The Wildcats won the state
championship in 1956 and Renfroe was voted to the all-state team and voted the outstanding back of the conference.
"Coach Holden was like a father to me," said Renfroe. "The school did not feed on Sundays. Most of the players would go home
on the weekends. Me being an out-of-stater, he would tell me to go to a café downtown and tell them to put it on his bill."
Renfroe also met his wife, Charlotte, while in school at PRCC. She taught at Pearl River and also directed the String of Pearls
for several years.
Following his graduation from USM, Renfroe coached football in the state for 10 years at Hancock North Central, Picayune and
Harrison Central before moving to Texas to enter the home building business.
NAME: Claude Renfroe
HOMETOWN: Thomaston, Ga.
FAMILY: Wife, Charlotte; two sons, Ray and Ron; one daughter, Joanie; seven grandchildren.
EDUCATION: Transferred from PRCC, 1957; Graduated from USM, 1959.
OCCUPATION: Coach, Hancock North Central (1 year), Picayune High School (7 years), Harrison Central (2 years); Home
Building Business in Texas (33 years); retired.
Ben Barkley Smith - Football (1956-58)
Ben Smith, a Poplarville native, was an all-state end for Coach Holden from 1956-58. He played both offense and defense, like
most players in that era.
At Poplarville High, he played for Coach Lewis Murray his junior year. When Murray moved to PRCC, he played his senior
year for Calvin Triplett, before signing to play at PRCC.
His freshman year, the Wildcats were 9-0 and won the state championship. The 1956 Wildcats scored 207 points and gave up
only 49. The Wildcats posted a 6-2-1 record in 1957, the year Smith was named first-team all-state.
He would sign with the University of Wyoming and attended for only one semester before returning to PRCC.
Smith needed no introduction to Holden. He grew up with Holden’s son, Tom, and spent a good bit of time in the Holden home.
"I got to know him more as a person than the average guy who played for him," said Smith.
"Coach Holden was a great disciplinarian. He intended for you to give your 100 percent. He had a unique ability to judge a
person as to what he could get out of him. He would take guys who would come from losing programs in high school and make
winners out of them."
Smith did not have the opportunity to catch many passes in Holden’s triple-option offense. "That was the last year with that
offense," said Smith. "We all had our blocking assignments and that was your main thing. It was that way on defense, too."
Smith went on to earn a B.S. in forestry from Mississippi State in 1965 and worked for the Mississippi Forestry Commission
and Crown Zellerbach before going into business. He is a licensed insurance agent and currently works with White Funeral
Home in Poplarville.
His time at Pearl River is something he won’t forget. "It was almost like high school because we went here as juniors and
seniors," he said. "You knew everybody and had a good relationship with everybody."
As for his selection to the PRCC Sports Hall of Fame: "This is quite unexpected. I am truly honored."
NAME: Ben Smith
HOMETOWN: Poplarville
FAMILY: Wife, Elaine; two daughters, Stacey Slaven, Amite, La.; Amanda Smith, Kiln; 3 grandchildren.
EDUCATION: Greaduated from Poplarville High, 1956; graduated from PRCC, 1958; graduated from Mississippi State,
1965.
OCCUPATION: Forrest Industry for 9 years; independent feed dealer; insurance agent; semi-retired.