MID-SOUTH MEMORIES

25 years ago — 1997

Coach Rob Evans, who led the University of Mississippi’s basketball team to its second NCAA Tournament bid in history, talked to Desoto County supporters Tuesday about recruitment battles and his decision to remain coach. He also basked in praise and remarked on the team’s newfound identity. ”Everybody wanted to play us,” Evans said, referring to the team’s reputation of a few years ago. ”We can’t get anybody to play us now.” The Ole Miss basketball team had a 20-9 record and captured the Western Division title last season under Evans, who became head coach in 1992. Evans, a New Mexico State University Athletic Hall of Famer, was named the Southeastern Conference men’s basketball coach of the year. Louisiana

State University tried to lure Evans away this spring with a package reportedly worth about $500,000 a year. He turned it down, and negotiations are ongoing for a new contract with Ole Miss. 50 years ago — 1972

Memphis will be swinging on the banks of Big Muddy before the first barge of the 1972 Cotton Carnival arrives amid the pageantry of yore and it will go on swinging all week. Music of every kind will soothe and excite, rouse and enchant carnival-goers as the 1972 Carnival theme, “King Cotton Makes Music,” puts this music-minded city in the limelight for the week of May 6-13.

75 years ago — 1947

Aggressive opposition to the sale of the Federal Barge Lines, unless adequate provision is made for carrying on the full Mississippi River service they

now maintain, will be made by the Memphis Freight Bureau at a full-dress congressional hearing starting at 10 this morning at The Peabody.

100 years ago — 1922

With the Mississippi and Ohio rivers falling rapidly at Cairo, and stages of stationary to falling at several points south of Memphis, conditions in the central Mississippi valley improved some yesterday so far as the levees are concerned. Not a single bad report was received from any of the levee boards. (However) there is no letup of the work. 125 years ago — 1897

WASHINGTON – Senator Vest yesterday introduced a resolution directing the Commerce Committee of the Senate to investigate causes and best system of flood prevention in the Mississippi River Valley.

THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL FILES April 23, 2016: Harrison Martin tries to finish off a plate of “insanely” hot wings called Jim’s Addiction Wings for a free T-shirt at the Wingaholic’s booth during the Southern Hotwing Festival. Martin couldn’t complete the challenge and eat three of the wings, which are seasoned with three of the hottest peppers known to man: Carolina Reaper, Ghost Peppers and Scorpion Peppers.