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What made the Big Leagues special for Barry Lyons was his family

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What made the Big Leagues special for Barry Lyons was his family

Barry Lyons, the caboose of the athletic Lyons brothers of Biloxi, made the Big Leagues as a catcher for the Mets in 1986.

Editor’s note: On July 30, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame inducts its Class of 2022. What follows is Part V of a series detailing the achievements of the eight inductees, today featuring World Series champion Barry Lyons.

When Barry Lyons made the Major Leagues as a New York Mets catcher in 1986, naturally he felt as if he represented his beloved hometown of Biloxi and his treasured alma mater Delta . But there were people even more dear to his heart Lyons was representing.

Says Lyons, โ€œWhat brought so much joy to me was when I put on that Mets uniform was I felt like I was putting it on for the entire Lyons family, my father and my mother and my three older brothers. When I put on that New York Mets uniform, I was representing all of them.โ€

Rick Cleveland

There’s a story behind the story there. Barry’s father, Kenny Lyons Sr., was a man. He had played in high school before serving in the U.S. Navy.

Kenny Sr. never went to college. He became mail deliverer and then coached all four of his sons in youth baseball. As it turned out all four sons were standout athletes, each with professional potential.

โ€œI was the caboose,โ€ Barry Lyons says. โ€œAll my brothers had the ability to make the Big Leagues. Because of injuries and bad luck and whatever for my brothers, I was the one who finally made it. That meant so much to me.โ€

Kenny Lyons Jr., the oldest of the sons, might have been the most gifted. A football and baseball star in high school, Kenny seemed well on his way to being the next Archie Manning at Ole Miss before a shoulder separation and then a gruesome knee injury changed that.

Here’s how good Kenny Lyons Jr. was in baseball: Because he was a quarterback competing for the job as starter, he didn’t play baseball until his fourth year at Ole Miss after the injuries. And still, he hit .298 with power and was one of the Rebels’ best players.

Next behind Kenny came Tommy Lyons, a hard-throwing drafted out of high school by the Cleveland Indians. โ€œTommy had an incredible arm,โ€ Barry says. โ€œThey weren’t using the radar guns back then, but I’ve seen a lot of hard throwers in my day and Tommy was right at the top.โ€

The Indians badly wanted Tommy Lyons, but Kenny Lyons Sr., who never went to college, insisted all his sons to have a college education. Tommy followed Kenny to Ole Miss, but injuries to his pitching arm curtailed his carer.

Pat Lyons, the third son born to Kenneth and Germaine Lyons, was another pitcher who doubled as an offensive lineman in football. He played both sports in high school and for Gulf Coast Community College, eventually earning a scholarship to Morehead State in Kentucky. A knee injury ended Pat’s athletic career.

Then came Barry, a superb football offensive lineman and baseball catcher. Barry first went to Delta State on a football scholarship, with the agreement he could also play baseball. Once Boo Ferriss, the Delta State baseball coach, saw Barry Lyons catch and hit, he offered him a full baseball scholarship. Barry, who liked football, loved baseball and adored Boo Ferriss, went the baseball route becoming one of Delta State’s all-time greats and making All-Gulf South Conference all four seasons. He helped the Statesmen to the Division II World Series as a senior. Back then, Delta State played about half its games against Division I teams and regularly defeated teams such as Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Southern Miss and Alabama. 

Drafted by the Mets, Barry Lyons quickly moved through the various minor league levels, making the biggest splash for the Class AA Jackson Mets at Smith-Wills Stadium, where he was one of the most productive players in the history of that franchise. He led the ’85 Jackson Mets to the League championship. He hit .308, knocked in 108 runs and was named the New York Mets’ Minor League Player of the Year. Next stop: New York and Shea Stadium, and it didn’t take long.

Barry and Julie Lyons at Barry Lyons Day in 2015 at MGM Park.

Lyons won a job with the parent club in spring the next spring. When the New York Mets played their last exhibition against the Jackson Mets at Smith-Wills, Lyons caught the game, got the biggest cheers and got a hit as well. Those New York Mets went on to win the World Series, and Barry Lyons got a World Series ring, later lost to Hurricane Katrina. Making it all the more memorable for Lyons: The Mets issued him jersey No. 33, the jersey number of Ferriss, his Delta State coach and Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer.

Lyons wound up playing 10 seasons in professional baseball and played for four different Major League teams. His baseball life continued with minor league coaching and managing and a several years-long quest to bring professional baseball to the Gulf Coast and his home town of Biloxi.

But Barry Lyons has endured more than his share of misfortune, including losing a house and belongings to Katrina, the death of Pat Lyons, the brother closest to him in age, his own bout with alcoholism and drug abuse, and a divorce.

Through the grace of God and his wife, the former Julie Pinson, Lyons says, he has turned his life around. He has realized his dream of helping bring professional baseball to his hometown and serves the Class AA Biloxi as the team’s paid ambassador, representing the team in the community and โ€œdoing anything and everything I can to raise the profile of my hometown’s professional baseball team.โ€

For Lyons, it’s a dream come true in a life of many baseball dreams that came true.

โ€ขโ€ขโ€ข

The 2022 Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Induction Class includes Tyler, golfer/golf commentator Jim Gallagher, football great Eric Moulds, world swimming champion Maggie Bowen-Hanna, basketball coach Kermit Davis, Sr., baseball standouts Barry Lyons and David Dellucci, and football coach Willis Wright.

Part I: Maggie Bowen-Hanna.

Part II: Eric Moulds.

Part III: Jim Gallagher.

Part IV: Bob Tyler.

For MSHOF Induction Weekend and ticket information, click here

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Cloudy and humid weekend – Home – WCBI TV

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www.wcbi.com – Sadie Morris – 2024-11-02 10:13:00

SUMMARY: In Columbus, Mississippi, humid and cloudy weather is expected, with temperatures remaining above average in the lower 80s for the upcoming . Rain is forecasted for Election Day on Tuesday, continuing into the week with isolated showers likely. This Saturday will see patchy fog in the morning, clearing by midday, with a high around 80 degrees. Sunday will bring similar humidity, with a high in the lower 80s and mild overnight lows in the mid-60s. Throughout the week, expect persistent clouds and humidity alongside mild temperatures.

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Mississippi News

Sports Zone Saturday: A must-win weekend for Mississippi's college football teams

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www.wjtv.com – Blake Levine – 2024-11-02 09:43:00

SUMMARY: College football is back in Mississippi for the 2024 season, with a lineup of exciting this Saturday. The Zone team will special coverage from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on . Notable matchups include No. 19 visiting Arkansas at 11:00 a.m. CT on ESPN, while Mississippi celebrates Homecoming against UMass at 3:15 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. State UAPB for their Homecoming at 2:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+, and Alcorn State travels to face Alabama State at 4:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+. Southern Miss has a bye week.

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Mississippi News

Danver’s celebrates forty seven years of continued success

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www.wcbi.com – Allie Martin – 2024-11-01 19:01:00

SUMMARY: Danver’s restaurant in , Mississippi, recently celebrated its 47th anniversary, maintaining a loyal customer base since its opening in 1977. General Larry Wade, who started as a cook, emphasized the restaurant’s focus on consistency, quality, and customer service. Despite economic challenges, Danver’s has thrived due to its enduring values and community connections, which patrons appreciate. Regular customers, like Tom Robinson, value the reasonable prices and consistent quality. The restaurant aims to continue this legacy, looking forward to its 50th anniversary in three years as it remains a cherished community staple.

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