Vassallo Interviews: Jim “The General” Stephens Shares Ole Miss History, Memories

Jim “The General” Stephens

Jim Stephens (“The General” to his close friends) has devoted a lifetime to Ole Miss and collecting treasures that very few have ever seen. Over the next few weeks and leading up to the football season, we’ll showcase some of these treasures and why The General is a most unique Rebel!

HottyToddy.com: General, tell us about your ancestry first and its association with Ole Miss.

Jim Stephens: My grandfather Hubert D. Stephens Sr., was the first person from Union County to play for Ole Miss. He played on the 1894 and the 1895 Ole Miss football teams, the second and third Ole Miss teams. Of course the first team Ole Miss fielded was in 1893. My grandfather completed law school at Ole Miss on June 3, 1896. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1910-1922 and the U.S. Senate from 1922-1936 and, in my humble opinion, served his beloved Mississippi well.

HottyToddy.com: Let’s focus on the 1940 era and earlier of your vast inventory of Ole Miss memorabilia. What are the top three or four Picassos?

Jim Stephens: (1) I have my Grandfather’s original Ole Miss football “M” club certificate. It is signed by Judge William Hemmingway. Once again, he played on the 1894 and 1895 OM teams, the second and third teams that Ole Miss ever had. My cousin, Glenn Cofield (Ole Miss alum) of Memphis, Tennessee has my grandfather’s original Ole Miss law school diploma, having graduated on June 3, 1896. (2) I have two University of Mississippi magazines. One is from November 1906 and the other is from November 1907. Both are in excellent condition for its age. (3) My oldest Ole Miss football program is from the Ole Miss vs Miss. State game played on October 20, 1923. This game was played at City Ball Park, located on the Mississippi State Fair Grounds in Jackson and was part of that year’s Mississippi State Fair. It is four pages long. It is still in excellent condition for its age. (4) Of the eighty-six original Ole Miss yearbooks that I have, eleven of them are from 1919-1940.

HottyToddy.com: Describe each separately.

Jim Stephens: (1) This Ole Miss “M” club certificate was presented to my grandfather once the “M” Club was formed. According to former compliance officer David Wells, it’s the oldest original “M” Club certificate that he has ever seen. (2) The 1906 University of Mississippi Magazine is 94 pages in length and is devoted to presenting all aspects of Ole Miss and Campus life. The 1907 University of Mississippi Magazine is 84 pages long and again is devoted to presenting all aspect of Ole Miss and Campus life. (3) This 92 year old football program was give to me by a very dear friend. It is four pages long and was played in Jackson as part of the Mississippi State Fair on the fairgrounds. It is dated October 20, 1923. (4) I currently have 86 original OM Yearbooks of the 115 that the University has produced. Eleven (11) of them are from 1919 to 1940.

HottyToddy.com: Why are you so passionate about being an Ole Miss Rebel?

Jim Stephens: My family roots with Ole Miss run very deep. If you look at an alumni directory the Stephens family is well represented. I was born in Oxford and have been an Ole Miss fan for almost my entire life. Ole Miss is the Flagship University of our State and I am so proud to be an Ole Miss alum myself. The old expression that you really never graduate from Ole Miss is so true. Ole Miss is a feeling, it’s an attitude, it’s a way of life. When I depart this earthly existence, my last thoughts will be of Ole Miss, Ole Miss and Ole Miss.

HottyToddy.com: Looking ahead to the 2015 football season, what is the signature game that will ultimately define the season?

Jim Stephens: This can be best described as the “Signature Games.” First of all (the Rebels need) to beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on September 19, 2015. The other significant game is to beat Mississippi State in Starkville on November 28, 2015. Both being SEC road contests would, in my opinion, define our season.

HottyToddy.com: Please complete this sentence: “My greatest thrill following Ole Miss sports was…”

Jim Stephens: This is difficult to answer. Beating Alabama in 2014, beating Florida on campus in 2002, sitting in the stands and beating Florida two times in the Swamp, including the 4th and 1, stopping Tebow in his tracks, sitting in the stands and beating Auburn and Tuberville in his 1st year there, witnessing “The Stand” against State when they ran 11 plays inside the 15 yard line and DID NOT SCORE on the Ole Miss “D”. I could go on and on, but you get the picture. Impossible to answer.

HottyToddy.com: John Lennon was once quoted that before Elvis there was nothing. Is this also true about John Vaught as he relates to Ole Miss? Your perspective?

Jim Stephens: Yes. Before John Howard Vaught was hired as the Head Coach at Ole Miss, football rarely enjoyed much success. This all changed in 1947. He hired a tremendous coaching staff, mostly made up of former Ole Miss players. Those coaches included the Kinard brothers, Buster and Bruiser; the Poole brothers, Ray and Jim; Junie Hovious, Tad Smith, Tom Swayze, John Cain, Wobble Davidson, and so many others. Coach Vaught brought in the best players in the state of Mississippi. The results: three National Championships, six SEC Football Championships and so many Bowl victories. He laid the foundation for what Ole Miss football is to this day.

Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is a highly successful leader in the real estate business who lives in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.