I noticed in a post by Missco that there are 75 athletes from Miss. Co. on college rosters. My question would be, "Who do you think is the best all round athlete to come out of Mississippi County?"

We could easily get a list started.

How about Cortez Kennedy from Rivercrest? He would have to be somewhere up near the top.

Maurice Carthon from Osceola, powerful back with two Superbowl rings. Will be a head NFL coach in the next couple of years.

Maurice and Cortez are both big time and had great success in the NFL, but what about that special individual that was very athletic and able to excel in more than one sport. Does'nt have to be a pro athlete. I thinking of someone like Chico Fletcher from Osceola or maybe Kevin Soward from Blytheville. Bruce Hay, Tommy Tompkins are names from the past. Jonathan Adams, Kelvin Crawford. Missco can do a little research and come up with some more, I'm sure.

I will say that 2 of those you mentioned were the most athletic players I've ever personally watched in Mississippi County. I actually played basketball against Chico. Man, that boy could play. And Kevin Soward is flat out amazing also.

Interesting question. I figure its probably some kid that never played school sports but only on the playground. I don't know about the best ever athlete but Bill Tyer swears Thomas Donnerson was the best basketball player ever to come out of MissCo. That says a lot since he didn't play D-1 and over 50 others have. I would have to say Maurice could very well be one of the best all around athletes. I'll check around tommorrow. Most of the old-timers around Bly-vegas say the 70.'s produced the most talent. I wouldn't be surprised that the most athletic is somebody from Rosenwald or Harrison high. One of the thing that amazed me as a kid was watching a big fella named heavy Littleton run from Wilson to Keiser on pony league basbeall game days and ride the bus back to Wilson. He was a big guy in HS. I can't remeber his first name. I also remeber watching some kids from Joiner named Hawkins that were pretty good athletes and mean as snakes. One of them died a while back. I remember him getting off the bus at the Dell service station and whipping 3 Dell players. Their coach was a idiot but he let him off the bus to fight them. His name was Truxler. He is now a FB coach at Yellville. Richard Brothers was one of the most hard-nosed athletes to come out of Missco. I can't remeber any names but Lovin Lux had some hosses in their hey day. Dyess had a some shooters in the 60.'s that people say were some of the best pure shooters ever to come out of Miss Co. Some of the recent good players from Miss Co.-Brandon Ballard and John Fowler wouldn't even make the top 200 best athletes ever to come out of Miss Co.

Maurice was on 1 or 2 state championship basketball teams and was all state in both sports. I know he ran track and I think even played summer baseball. I remeber in the summers the last ten years or so watching him running when he is home. A lot of mornings he would be running all the way out at Victoria.

This guy is still young, he's going to college this year, but Danton Jackson from Rivercrest High School.

I have to agree with you that there are some great athletes that came out of Blytheville that really never did make it as far they could have. I used to love watch Kelvin play. What was the guys name that was such a good shooter for the Chicks on that over-all state champions team of 1989? I think his first name may have been Willie. Not sure. He was in range this side of half court.

But I have to say that the best natural athlete that I have ever knew was Kevin Soward. It didn't matter what sport we were playing, he was natural at it. He was a gifted basketball and football player as everyone knew, but he was a very good baseball player also. He should have made it. He had all the tools. I know that he went to Murray State. I also heard that he got into a little trouble, in one way or another. It was awful that he could not keep going.

Someone else that comes to mind is Mitch Fryer. He really came a long way to make it to college playing football. He was very awkward when we were young, but he worked hard and did well for himself. Great football player and all-conference baseball as a senior.

I had forgotten all about Donnerson. What an athlete!!

Do people that drove through Mississippi County once count?

LOL, yep. Mississippi county has had their share of good athletes. Mark another D-1 player from Miss Co. down. Brandon Ballard despite what the Sun always says is from and lives in Leachville.

Ill have to agree with Tommy Tompkins! thats my cousin! and he has a cousin names Bo Tompkins that wasn't too bad himself!

I will have to say Cortez, Carthon and Joe Harvell(led SEC in scoring over Shaq).

I played against Chico in the state B.C.I basketball Semi finals. He was super fast. He could dribble faster than most of our team could dead sprint. Lucky to win that game. I think he got better once he started playing college ball.