By T. SCOTT BOATRIGHT, Lincoln Parish Journal
NATCHITOCHES — The numbers spoke volumes, but the spontaneous response said it all.
College Baseball Hall of Fame coach and Grambling State icon Wilbert Ellis was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Saturday night.
Ellis became only the second honoree of the LSHOF’s Louisiana Sports Ambassador Award, joining national broadcaster and Shreveport resident Tim Brando, who was inducted in 2020. The Ambassador Award recognizes exemplary representation of the state on a national scale by a Louisiana sports figure.
Judging from the small army of supporters that showed up at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, ambassador might be an understatement for Ellis.
On Saturday, Ellis became both Louisiana sports royalty and minister while accepting his honor during an on-stage interview with broadcaster and 2018 LSHOF inductee Lyn Rollins.
The night began with the Walk of Legends featuring previous LSHOF inductees, followed with the new inductees walking across the stage, with Ellis receiving his first standing ovation of the night before the induction interviews ever began.
“There have been other inductees over the years that have had big crowds of followers like Coach Ellis did, and who got long ovations,” said Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame chair Doug Ireland. “But the thing that struck me was Coach Ellis received the first-ever standing ovation, probably a half-minute long, during the Walk of Legends. It stopped the Walk for a few moments. That never happened before.”
After that, each new inductee in attendance took to the stage for live interviews with one of two well-known broadcasters, Rollins, or Baton Rouge’s Victor Howell.
When it was his turn in the induction lineup, following a short video featuring Ellis’ history including comments by lifelong friend James Davison of Ruston, former GSU and Major League Baseball standout Gary Eave, current Grambling State baseball coach Davin Pierre and his pastor, Maurice White of Zion Traveler Baptist in Ruston, Ellis was called to the stage.
What followed was a near minute-long standing ovation.
Rollins began the interview with Ellis talking about the impact of youth baseball camps that are part of the reason he was honored with the Ambassador Award.
“I always wanted to give back,” Ellis said. “I always wanted to make a difference. I always wanted to teach fundamental baseball skills, but I also wanted those teachings to go into life, and to motivate young people to build the right roots and be able to make a difference in their lives.
“That was my prayer. God gave me that prayer. I’ve been all over the country doing it. I had some of the greatest people in the world supporting me, starting with my mother and father, Mattie, and Houston Ellis. There are so many people in my community (that helped him). Then when I got to Grambling State University, I met some of the finest people in the world.”
Ellis, 88, then rattled off a Who’s Who list of Grambling State royalty — former president and baseball coach R.W.E. Jones, iconic football coach Eddie G. Robinson, and basketball coaching legend Fred Hobdy.
“I could go on and on,” Ellis continued. “And I met so many people in my community — people that cared about young people and wanted to give people chances and talk about rights and wrongs. That motivated me. … They made me want to be the best and I worked hard at that. …. I could call out a lot of names tonight, but I don’t want to get into any trouble, either, by forgetting someone.”
Ellis then proved how much support he has had over the years, saying that the small army of supporters appearing to be at 175 if not 200 had made him shed tears with their show of love. People traveled from coast-to-coast to attend and share Ellis’ official entry into the state sports legend status.
He then asked that small army to stand, receiving another standing ovation in the process.
“That right there could be my speech tonight,” Ellis said. “I know that you didn’t have to come, but you showed that somewhere down the line we’ve touched lives together. I love all of you and wish I could call out all your names. But let’s move on.”
As his speech again turned to his desire of teaching life skills to youth, Ellis told the crowd he did not want to take it too far, but felt it is an important subject and that the key is ending the obvious divide our nation is currently undergoing.
“We all need to be involved (in helping youth in America),” Ellis said. “We’re in serious trouble. And it’s not serious about one person, it’s serious about the whole United States of America. We’re going to have to come together. I know I didn’t come to preach, but we’re going to have to come together and do some things to make a difference in the lives of our young people.
“You know, they want to be helped, and it’s our duty and responsibility to help them.”
And as Ellis’ time on stage ended, Rollins asked one favor — that Ellis keep preaching.
“Well thank you for that, but I think that everybody here tonight has had some responsibility with young people, even in your own home with your own children. I know all of you have done that in the community,” Ellis said.
“Don’t turn your head (away from youth) — they want to be helped. They want to be nourished. They need some direction. And don’t be afraid to sit down and talk with them about direction. Tell them about right and wrong, going to church and doing great things in life so that when you see them again, they’re doing great things. They can be lawyers. They can be doctors. But we must work with them in such a way to help make our communities and nation a better place.”
A full video, produced by LPB, of Saturday’s LSHOF ceremony can be found online at Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame – 2024 Celebration (youtube.com). Louisiana Public Broadcasting will air a two-hour recap show on July 11.
Contact Scott at tscottboatright@gmail.com