Southern Arkansas University finally has competition for Harold Jameson's time.
Jameson, a 1954 graduate of Southern State College-now SAU-is currently a part-time member of the Muleriders' sports information department. He served the school as sports information director for seven years after retiring in 1992 from the U.S. Postal Service, where he worked for 31 years, the Arkansas Army National Guard, where he was first sergeant, after 34 1/2 years, and was sports editor of the Magnolia Banner News for more than 40 years.
While Jameson's plans are to continue his work at SAU, his priorities have changed. He expects to spend most of his time these days with his five grandchildren.
During the past 50-plus years Jameson has staffed and written game stories, features and columns about the Muleriders and Lady Riders.
His contributions will be recognized Saturday during halftime ceremonies at the University of Arkansas-Monticello/SAU football game where he will be one of 11 honorees representing the second class to be inducted into the Southern Arkansas University Sports Hall of Fame.
Jameson and Ralph Ross will be inducted for meritorious service. Other honorees include former coaches Auburn Smith and Kathryn Brown, with Jimmy Culp, Calvin Neal and Wesley "Buddy" Jacobs representing the golden era. Modern era athletes being recognized include Atlanta's Sammy Epps, basketball star John Holmes, women's basketball player Gail Buffington-Sanders and linebacker Greg Stuman.
All have been legends in their respective fields, but few donated the hours Jameson has given his alma mater.
His game stories in the Banner News became legendary because of their length, but that was probably good in the eyes of his readers because they didn't miss a play.
Southern Arkansas University finally has competition for Harold Jameson's time.
Jameson, a 1954 graduate of Southern State College-now SAU-is currently a part-time member of the Muleriders' sports information department. He served the school as sports information director for seven years after retiring in 1992 from the U.S. Postal Service, where he worked for 31 years, the Arkansas Army National Guard, where he was first sergeant, after 34 1/2 years, and was sports editor of the Magnolia Banner News for more than 40 years.
While Jameson's plans are to continue his work at SAU, his priorities have changed. He expects to spend most of his time these days with his five grandchildren.
During the past 50-plus years Jameson has staffed and written game stories, features and columns about the Muleriders and Lady Riders.
His contributions will be recognized Saturday during halftime ceremonies at the University of Arkansas-Monticello/SAU football game where he will be one of 11 honorees representing the second class to be inducted into the Southern Arkansas University Sports Hall of Fame
The school got what little publicity it did because Jameson served as correspondent for the Arkansas Gazette, Arkansas Democrat, Texarkana Gazette, El Dorado News-Times, and Shreveport Times, for which he wrote a weekly column.
The late W.T. Watson, then director of athletics at SAU, asked Jameson if he would serve as the school's SID because he did not have enough money in his budget to hire a full-time employee. Jameson agreed to help his long-time friend in 1993, and 12 years later he is still serving in the athletic department.
Jameson spent untold hours with microfilm, yearbooks, newspaper clippings and other resouces in updating SAU athletic records that were in shambles because there was no sports information director for so many years.
Jameson said he stepped down as SAU's sports information director because of a desire to watch his son, Jay, coach basketball at Edgewood, Texas, and witness his grandchildren who were involved in athletic events.
Jameson and wife, the former Betty Greene, have two children, Jay and Jill. Jay married the former Tamara Moorer of Bald Knob, twice an All-Arkansas Intercollegiate and All-American basketball player at Arkansas Tech. They have three children, Weston Jay, Trey Moore and Hanna Lee. Jill is married to Marc Anderson and they have two children, Mallory and Madeline.
Odds are Jameson will be present Saturday to be honored, but if asked, he'd probably say he had rather be in Texas watching Wes play quarterback for his junior high football team.