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 signed 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. 
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."