41 Years Ago Today, the final Southern Miss baseball game was played at Joe P. Park.

Before the roar of the crowd echoed from Pete Taylor Park, and before Conference titles and Regionals became part of the baseball tradition, there was Joe P. Park—the dusty, grass-stained field with rusty bleachers on campus, in between M.M. Roberts Stadium and 4th Street.

(An aerial view of the Southern Miss campus in 1980. Joe P. Park is top right just to the north of M.M. Roberts Stadium.)

The earliest known game played at Joe P. Park was March 26, 1956 when Illinois Wesleyan knocked off the Golden Eagles 6-5. Located in the heart of Southern Miss’ campus in Hattiesburg, Joe P. Park wasn’t flashy. There were no luxury boxes, no stadium lights until the late 70’s. But for decades, it was a place where the foundation of Southern Miss baseball was forged.

It 41 years ago today, on May 3, 1984 when Mike Martin’s Florida State team visited Hattiesburg. Finishing off a weekend sweep of the Golden Eagles 16-6, wrapping up the final game held at Joe P. Park.

(Oak trees hundreds of year old still stand behind where the home plate entrance would have been located.

Today, if you walk past the site where Joe P. once stood, you won’t hear the crack of the bat. The field now serves as the Southern Miss football practice facility, its outfield long replaced by blocking sleds and goalposts. Players run sprints where outfielders once chased fly balls, and offensive linemen hit the turf where pitchers once delivered fastballs. Though its days as a baseball cathedral are over, Joe P. Park’s spirit lingers beneath the cleats and turf—a quiet reminder of how far the program has come. From the baseball legends to football legends like Brett Favre, Adalius Thomas, Reggie Collier.

In 1985, Southern Miss ushered in a new era with the opening of Pete Taylor Park. With its upgraded seating, improved amenities, and capacity to host postseason play, “The Pete” gave the program the boost it needed to grow into a regional power. 40 years later has become one of the most intimidating places to play baseball.

Joe P. Park saw its fair share of future pros and unforgettable moments. Players like Ray Guy, who went on to NFL stardom but also played baseball at Southern Miss, took the field here. In the 1970s and early ’80s, the park was a hotbed for Mississippi baseball talent.

Old heads in Hattiesburg still talk about that epic series against Mississippi State in 1977, where hundreds of fans crammed into the outfield fence line, watching Southern Miss knock off the Bulldogs in the opening game in what would become a defining moment for the program. Or coach Pete Taylor’s final game in the park in 1983, after wrapping up at 25 year career at the helm of the Golden Eagles program. Over the years the park has hosted some of college baseballs top programs like Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Alabama, Florida State and Tulane. It’s played host to many

Joe P. Park may not have the statue or the naming rights, but its legacy lives on every time a Golden Eagle takes the field at Pete Taylor Park. Or every time the Southern Miss football team takes the practice field. It’s a story of humble beginnings—of playing for pride, of building a winning culture that would come to define Southern Miss baseball.

In a time when stadiums are built to impress, it’s worth remembering the ones that built tradition.