Cecil Kellum Park
Baseball fields to be renamed to Cecil Kellum Park
In honor: Former Boys Club director Cecil Kellum was honored Friday for his contributions to the community.
Above, Top row, from left to right: Mike Dumas, Tommy Patterson, Martha Dunn, Kay Patterson, Gwen Ferguson, Garland Murphy, Mike Rybiski, Fred Newman, Eddie Peppers, David Alphin, Danny Graves, Barbara Graves, Drew Sheppard, Randy Tate, Darrel Rozell, Yvonne(Randy) Henry, Kenny Solley, Larry Solley, John Ralston and Steve Brasher. Bottom row, from left to right: Phil Nelson, Henry Ferguson, Tommy Reeves, Buddy McAdams, Al Miller, George Fennell, Cecil Kellum, Jim Moore, Richard Bates, Tommy May, Elizabeth Eggleston, Harry Parker, Ron Boyd, Ronnie Whatley and Dan Futch. Right, Cecil Kellum looks at a plaque that will be placed at the entrance to "Cecil Kellum Park."
On Friday, former members of the El Dorado Boys and Girls Club gathered to honor and recognize Cecil Kellum, who founded the El Dorado Boys Club Athletic Program in 1952.
At the celebration, officials unveiled a bronze plaque that will be placed at the entrance of the A, B & C baseball fields dedicating the area as Cecil Kellum Park.
Kellum is a 1942 graduate of Smackover High School where he was a two sport lettermen in basketball and football. He was a member of the Army Air Corps during World War II where, following the war, he attended Ouachita Baptist College, graduating in 1949. Kellum was also a member of the Tiger football team while at Ouachita.
He took the job of program director for the El Dorado Boys Club in 1952 where he served in that capacity for 17 years, followed by three years as executive director. In that first year with the club, Kellum founded the athletic program with a pool table and a wrestling mat, and is credited as being instrumental in building a new facility and one ball field in 1953, as well as with establishing little league baseball, basketball and football programs.
According to the plaque made in his honor, “Cecil stressed the sportsmanship as a mentor fundraiser and umpire. His guiding light turned “Boys to Men” and was inducted into the El Dorado Boys Club Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Union County Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. Cecil’s athletes became business leaders and role models to their communities. In honor of his unwavering support for the youth of El Dorado and Union County, the citizens dedicate ‘Cecil Kellum Park’.”
“We appreciate the former members coming back to honor Cecil and to upgrade our facilities,” said George Fennell, one of the members on the committee to implement the improvements to the park.
Other committee members include Drew Sheppard, Jimmy Moore, Elizabeth Eggleston, Buddy McAdams, Johnny Ralston and Mike Dumas.
“Cecil has been a great community leader,” Ralston added.