Bio

Teddy Lawrence Roberts

Perkinston Junior College/Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College (1961-1963) / Football, Baseball, Track 

Teddy Roberts accepted a scholarship to Perk in fall 1961. While he spent much of his first season on the bench, he did enjoy two memorable moments. During the Nov. 11 Armistice Day Slaughter of 1961, in which Pearl River delivered its all-time record 60-point defeat of Perkinston, Roberts hit Welford Hultz for Perk’s sole touchdown of the game. The following Thursday night, Roberts personally crossed the goal line once and then lateralled to Bruce Mohler for another touchdown, putting 12 points on the board against 42 points for the Southwest Bears. In a two-win, nine-loss season, Roberts’ performance was outstanding.

The next season showed an improvement in the Bulldogs. In the Nov. 15 game between Gulf Coast and Southwest, the Bulldogs emerged victorious, with the win still remaining (in 2002) the all-time largest margin of victory by Gulf Coast (77-6). At the end of the season, Roberts was selected for the Mississippi Association of Junior Colleges All-State First Team.

Roberts was a member of first-year Assistant Coach George Sekul’s 1962 MAJC championship track team. The following spring, he played third base on Coach Ken “Curly” Farris’ initial baseball team, which won the 1963 South Division championship. In spring 1963, Roberts was named MGCJC’s Best All-Around Athlete.

After Perk, Roberts accepted an offer from Texas Tech and lettered in football, wrestling and baseball. He played safety and returned punts on the football team, and in his senior year, led the nation in interceptions. At Texas Tech, he was named to the All-Southwest Conference team. Roberts finished his football career by playing for the semi-pro San Antonio Toros.

Roberts joined the insurance and chemical business in Dallas prior to managing Mike Ditka’s Restaurant in Chicago. He returned to the Gulf Coast in 1993 and worked in golf promotion for Casino Magic in Bay St. Louis before taking charge of the Famous Door Nightclub in New Orleans.