Oral history with Mr. Reese Snell

              Oral history with Mr. Reese Snell, 1995 Nov. 9
F341.5 . M57 vol. 631
Funding for this project provided by The Mississippi State Legislature, The Mississippi Humanities Council, The Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage at the University of Southern Mississippi.
This transcription of an oral history by the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage of The University of Southern Mississippi may not be reproduced or published in any form except that quotation of short excerpts of unrestricted transcripts and the associated tape recordings is permissible providing written consent is obtained from the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage. When literary rights have been retained by the interviewee, written permission to use the material must be obtained from both the interviewee and the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage. Please call ( 601) 266- 4574 for more information.
Biography
Reese Harris Snell was born on December 20, 1924, in Meridian, Mississippi, to Bob Jackson Snell and Ella B. Williamson Snell. He graduated from Meridian High School, where he played football and basketball, in 1943. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Army and served twenty- four months overseas with the 85th Infantry Division. Before leaving the military in 1946, he received a Bronze Star for Heroic Action.
Snell attended Mississippi Southern College from 1946 to 1950. A three- year letterman in both football and baseball, he graduated with a bachelor's of science degree in 1950. In 1953, he received a master's of arts degree, also from Southern. Between 1950 and 1965, Snell coached high school athletics in Louisiana and Mississippi, winning three football championships along the way. His baseball teams won an impressive 85 percent of their games. During his thirty- one year association with Hattiesburg High School, Snell served as coach, assistant principal, and principal. In 1987, he retired as principal at Hattiesburg High School. During his thirty- six years of involvement in public education, Snell received a number of awards and honors, including coach of the year honors in 1963, induction into the Mississippi Coaches Hall of Fame in 1977, and induction into The University of Southern Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1978. In 1983, he received the National Football Hall of Fame Distinguished American Award. Mr. Snell also played a major role in the creation of the Big Gold Club at USM. Mr. Snell has also been active in the continuing education program at USM for more than thirty years.
Mr. Snell and his wife, Carolyn, have three children: Sandy, Linda, and Bob.
Table of Contents
I. Family background and growing up in Meridian
II. World War II and entering USM
III. Coaches and teammates
IV. Coaching and game strategies mus- coh. snellr. doc Page 1 of 15