Mississippi high school athletic conference question

[DanDority]

Who were the charter members of the Big 8 in MS? I was told Jackson Central, Biloxi, Laurel, Hattiesburg, Brookhaven, Meridian, McComb, Gulfport. Is this correct?

[Jack Lambert]

I thought that all the Jackson schools were in the big eight along with a few others.. Clinton, Brandon, Terry, Canton, Forrest Hill, Morton, Brookheaven and several others were in the Little Dixie. Could be wrong. Forrest Hill was not in the City Limits at the time.

Jackson schools were: Callaway, Jim Hill, Murrah, Provide and Central. I am almost sure all were in the big eight and Meridian was as well. Bailey was not.

[t45fixer]

I can't tell you the original eight, although I do know there was a coast representative.

Before all was said and done, the Big 8 was three divisions -- North, Central and South.

In the late 1960s-early 1970s, the make-up of the Big 8 included the following schools ... some are now renamed, some (Natchez, for example) no longer exist and some play as far down as Class 3A:


Biloxi
Brookhaven
Clarksdale
Cleveland
Columbia
Columbus
Corinth
Greenville
Greenwood
Gulfport
Hattiesburg
Jackson Callaway
Jackson Central
Jackson Murrah
Jackson Provine
Jackson Wingfield
Laurel
Meridian
McComb
Moss Point
Natchez
Pascagoula
Picayune
Tupelo
Vicksburg
Yazoo City
Just quick search. Maybe legit.

[DanDority]

Thanks Jack, I'm looking for the original members. There was only 1 high school in Jackson until the late 50's.

[Jack Lambert]

Thanks Jack, I'm looking for the original members. There was only 1 high school in Jackson until the late 50's.

Jim HIll was founded in 1912 and both Provine and Murrah was around in the early 50's. Not sure when they started. Also Jim Hill could have been a county school at the time much like Forest HIll.

Jim Hill could have been little dixie. I sent a text to a friend who knows a good bit of highschool history.

I really wish the MIss hall of fame web page had a search engine for sports history. I guess no one would come by if they did.

[civilengineerdog]

In the old Negro Big 8 prior to integration. Murrah and Provine were built in 1955 and Calloway and Wingfield were opened in 1966. Forest Hill was in the Little Dixie until it was annexed by Jackson.

[civilengineerdog]

It would have been the larger cities, but not necessarily exactly 8 teams. In the sixties there was a North and South Big 8 consisting of about 20 schools. I had googled Big 8 history before and nothing came up.

[Todd4State]

Rick Cleveland posts here sometimes. Maybe he knows the answer.

I'm not sure who the original eight were, but I have heard that it changed frequently over the years. I had heard of the Little Dixie, and I've heard of the Chickasaw Conference- but I had not heard anything about there being three Big 8 conferences in Mississippi High School, although I don't doubt it either.

Someone needs to go to the Mississippi state archives and find some high school standings from the old days (I'd probably start in the 1950's) and that would probably eventually answer the question of who the original 8 were.

My guess would be Jackson Central, Biloxi, Greenville, Meridian, Tupelo, Hattiesburg, Greenwood, and someone random that I wouldn't suspect like Corinth.

[Liverpooldawg]

I'd love to see a run down of the old conferences state wide. From my area I can remember the Parkway. That one morphed into the Waterway. I also remember the Tombigbee and the Little Ten. I could probably reconstruct the Parkway and the Waterway from memory. I could make a fair stab at the other two.

[Liverpooldawg]

Rick Cleveland posts here sometimes. Maybe he knows the answer.

I'm not sure who the original eight were, but I have heard that it changed frequently over the years. I had heard of the Little Dixie, and I've heard of the Chickasaw Conference- but I had not heard anything about there being three Big 8 conferences in Mississippi High School, although I don't doubt it either.

Someone needs to go to the Mississippi state archives and find some high school standings from the old days (I'd probably start in the 1950's) and that would probably eventually answer the question of who the original 8 were.

My guess would be Jackson Central, Biloxi, Greenville, Meridian, Tupelo, Hattiesburg, Greenwood, and someone random that I wouldn't suspect like Corinth.

I'm pretty sure Columbus was one of the original ones.

[Coursesuper]

I know that Tupelo and the two Columbus schools, Lee and Caldwell were in the Little Ten. They werent in the Big 8. I do know that the Big 8 was split into north and south divisions. The Little 10 in its last year 1980, I know because I played in it was also north and south. The south being Starkville, Lee, Caldwell, Louisville, Aberdeen, Oxford,West Point and Tupelo. We played seven conference games and three non conference. I don't remember all of the north half but I do remember Corinth, Shannon, Houston and Amory were in.

[fieldcorporal]

I know that Tupelo and the two Columbus schools, Lee and Caldwell were in the Little Ten. They werent in the Big 8. I do know that the Big 8 was split into north and south divisions. The Little 10 in its last year 1980, I know because I played in it was also north and south. The south being Starkville, Lee, Caldwell, Louisville, Aberdeen, Oxford,West Point and Tupelo. We played seven conference games and three non conference. I don't remember all of the north half but I do remember Corinth, Shannon, Houston and Amory were in.

Big 8 far predates the 2 Columbus schools. Caldwell came into existence in 1971, resulting in 2 relatively small schools in Columbus - S.D. Lee High and Caldwell (formerly a middle school, I think). Some facilities were shared between the schools, including football. A combined Lee/Caldwell/black high school I can't remember the name of - Cook? team that played in the the Big 8 that year. Seems like that combined team won the B8 that year...

edit: Before 1971 Lee High ("Columbus") played in the Big 8 I think. Integration combined the black high school (Cook or Hunt?) with Lee and led to Lee and Caldwell. The former black high school became a middle school.

[Liverpooldawg]

I know that Tupelo and the two Columbus schools, Lee and Caldwell were in the Little Ten. They werent in the Big 8. I do know that the Big 8 was split into north and south divisions. The Little 10 in its last year 1980, I know because I played in it was also north and south. The south being Starkville, Lee, Caldwell, Louisville, Aberdeen, Oxford,West Point and Tupelo. We played seven conference games and three non conference. I don't remember all of the north half but I do remember Corinth, Shannon, Houston and Amory were in.
Columbus was in the Big 8 prior to when they split Caldwell off. I have an uncle that played for Columbus in the Big 8.

[oldjoedawg]

I'd love to see a run down of the old conferences state wide. From my area I can remember the Parkway. That one morphed into the Waterway. I also remember the Tombigbee and the Little Ten. I could probably reconstruct the Parkway and the Waterway from memory. I could make a fair stab at the other two.
Chickasaw Conf. in 1958 was made up of schools in North Ms....most of them in Northwest part of state.

[tcdog70]

Choctaw Conf.
Louisville
Noxubee
Ackerman
Eudora
Dekalb
Philadelphia
Newton
Carthage
Union
Quitman
Kosciusko.

[preachermatt83]

The Cherokee conference

Edinburg
Decatur
Scott central
Beulah Hubbard
Hickory
Clarkedale
Sebastapol
Lake
Noxapater

[Liverpooldawg]

The Parkway

North Pontotoc
South Pontotoc
Mooreville
Mantachie
Smithville
Hatley
Hamilton
Caledonia
New Hope

The Waterway

Biggersville
Burnsville
Tishamingo
Belmont
Mooreville
Mantachie
Smithville
Hatley
Hamilton

[indognito]

The Highland Conference (Mid 1960s thru Late 1960s and maybe a bit later)

Saltillo
Belmont
Mooreville
Ecru
Algoma
Mantachie
Hamilton
Hatley
Iuka
Smithville

[Liverpooldawg]

The Highland was just before my time. My Dad coached in it.