Garland Parish, a Sandy Hook resident, was a two-sport Standout — basketball and baseball — at PRCC from 1950 until 1952 and his accomplishments on the hardcourt and diamond have earned him a place in the college’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Parish earned All-State honors his sophomore season on the basketball court (1951-52) under Coach Woodrow Daley and his single season with Coach Fred Henley’s baseball Wildcats saw him accomplish such feats as blasting three home runs in one game against arch-rival Perkinston. 

“I have many good memories at Pearl River,” Parish says. “It’s the greatest place I’ve ever been. I even met my wife (former Lady Wildcat basketball star Maude Warren) there and we’re still together after 46 years.” 

Garland and Maude are the parents of two children — both PRCC grads: William, who played football for the Wildcats in 1974 and 1975, and Susan, who graduated from the college’s LPN program. 

Daughter-in-law Glenda and son-in-law Steve Albritton are also River graduates. 

“Pearl River is just part of our lives,” he said. “We still work with the college in many areas and attend all home football and most home basketball games.” 

Parish was touted for his consistency by former baseball and basketball teammate Doug Daniels. 

“Garland was a great playmaker on the basketball court and had great leadership qualities,” said Daniels, who was also an All-State football player and was inducted into the hall in 1994. “On the baseball diamond, he really did an excellent job. Very consistent and very versatile. He could pitch or catch and hit with power.” 

During his basketball tenure, Parish played with such Wildcat notables as Mutt Watts, Glen Curley, Robert Morris, Sam Clinton, Emerson Ladner, and Daniels. 

Baseball didn’t exist Parish’s freshman year at The River, but he recalled a road match-up his sophomore year against Perk where five Wildcat homers were blasted over the fence — three of which came off his bat. Parish refuses to make a big deal out of it. 

“They (Perk) had a short right and there may have been as many as six or seven hit out that day ... I really can’t remember. It wasn’t that big of a deal,” he said. 

He left Pearl River and headed to Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette on a basketball scholarship, but became disillusioned and dropped out of school following his inaugural Ragun’ Cajun roundball season. 

Big time baseball appeared to be heading his way when he moved to Jackson. 

“When I moved, I signed with the Jackson Senators, which was then a farm club with the Detroit Tigers,” Parish recalled. “It was a foot in the door, but it wasn’t no time at all that all that came to a halt.” 

But it wasn’t no time until Garland was drafted...not in the pro baseball sense, but by Uncle Sam and began a stint with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. 

“When they call you, you go,” he said. “But my playing days weren’t over. We had a basketball team in the military and I played on it.” 

After his discharge from the service, he returned to Sandy Hook and has resided there ever since. He’s remained active in sports, coaching Little League and Pony League baseball, in addition to serving as scoutmaster for the local Boy Scout Troop. 

He and his family are long-time members of Sandy Hook United Methodist Church and he serves as a trustee for the Marion County General Hospital and on the Board of Directors for Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association. Parish is also involved in lots of volunteer work, including the Marion County Food Pantry.