Vernon Ehlers, Class of 2010

Long Beach resident Vernon Ehlers was one of the 15 members inducted into the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges Sports Hall of Fame in the 2010 class.

Ehlers, a native of Moss Point, was a four-sport letterman (baseball, football, basketball, and track) in his time at Perkinston Agricultural High School (1956) and Perkinston Junior College (1957-59). On the baseball diamond, Ehlers led the Bulldogs in stolen bases for three seasons. During that time, he and his teammates won three South Division titles and a state championship.

“Vernon was one of the few players that I gave the green light to steal bases,” said former Gulf Coast baseball coach Mel Carpenter. “He turned many walks and singles into doubles and triples.”

Ehlers earned NJCAA All-American honors on the gridiron in 1959 and was also an All-State selection in 1958-59, playing several positions including receiver and defensive end. He went on to letter in football and baseball at Florida State from 1960-61 then returned to South Mississippi where he began a long career as both a teacher and administrator in the Long Beach school system.

In 2003, Ehlers was inducted into the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Athletic Hall of Fame, and has served as vice president of the college’s Bulldog Club since 2008.