good move

The wheels are in motion in the state Legislature to name Alcorn State’s baseball stadium and field for former coaches Willie “Rat” McGowan and Bill Foster. This is a good move. McGowan, who retired following last season with over 700 victories, has been synonymous with Braves baseball for years, consistently fielding competitive teams in a difficult environment. Foster is one of the truly unsung heroes of Mississippi baseball history. Though he was selected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996, 18 years after his death, Foster isn’t widely known in his adopted state. Born in Texas, he grew up in the Lorman area, went to school at Alcorn and played baseball there before going on to a stellar career in the Negro Leagues of the 1930s. He played in several Negro League All-Star games and on two World Series winners. He later coached at Alcorn and served as the school’s dean of men. Naming the Alcorn field in his honor would bring Foster some much-deserved recognition locally.