Why Southern Miss Is Wearing History Against Appalachian State

The Camp Shelby jerseys Southern Miss wears during their 3rd Annual Military Appreciation Game Saturdya

On Saturday at Pete Taylor Park, Southern Miss Golden Eagles baseball won’t just take the field in a different uniform. They’ll take the field in someone else’s story.

The grey, blue-trimmed, block-lettered Camp Shelby uniforms Southern Miss will wear Saturday under third-year head coach Christian Ostrander aren’t a gimmick, an alternate look, or a marketing play. They’re a tribute, stitched together to honor a time when baseball in the Pine Belt, nearly eight decades ago, meant something far different. Modeled after what soldiers once wore just a few miles down Highway 49, these uniforms echo a game played not for standings, but for escape, moments of peace for a generation preparing for war.

Because long before Pete Taylor Park was packed on a weekly basis, baseball in Hattiesburg was played in the shadow of war.

Baseball in the Pines

Soldiers marching in front of their barracks at Camp Shelby during World War II

Camp Shelby was established in 1917 as the United States prepared to enter World War I. Tens of thousands of soldiers passed through South Mississippi, bringing with them pieces of home. One of those pieces was baseball.

The military didn’t just tolerate the game, it encouraged it. Baseball became a release for soldiers preparing for deployment, a structured break from drills, and a way to build camaraderie among men who were about to be sent into uncertainty.

Fields were carved out of the pine forest. Teams were formed. Schedules were kept. In 1918 alone, more than 50,000 games were played across military camps in the Southeast, with millions attending. For a few innings at a time, the war faded into the background.

The Camp Shelby All-Stars

A 1941 team photo of Camp Shelby All-Stars

By the time World War II arrived, baseball at Camp Shelby had evolved into something far more serious. This wasn’t just recreation anymore. The camp became home to one of the most talented military teams in the country, the Camp Shelby All-Stars.

Their roster wasn’t made up of amateurs. It included current and future Major League players, men whose professional careers had been paused by service but not diminished.

Names like:

Zeke Bonura – The New Orleans native played for several teams in the 1930’s including the White Sox and Cubs. In 1941 he joined the Army and was stationed at Camp Shelby. Bonura was arguably Camp Shelby’s best player and helped coach the team for two years. In 1943 was transferred to Algeria and helped organize the infamous North African World Series, where the best two American Military baseball teams in the world played for a Championship in North Africa.
Boo Ferriss – The Mississippi State baseball legend played for the team, before becoming a two-time all-star with the Red Sox. He would best be known for his 46-year coaching stint coaching for Mississippi State and Delta State. While at Delta State once cut a young player by the name of John Grisham, who would later become one of the greatest writers of this generation.
Harry “The Hat” Walker – The Pascagoula native was two time all-star with the Cardinals and would have a 16 year career playing for various teams until 1955. From 1955-1972 he was the manager of the Astros and Pirates.
Al Brazle – A few years after playing at Camp Shelby he would win a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1946.

One of Mississippi’s biggest baseball legends Boo Farris played military baseball at Camp Shelby

These weren’t just ballplayers, they were All-Stars, World Series contributors, and future legends. And they played right here in Hattiesburg.

The Camp Shelby All-Stars won the 1941 Mississippi Semi-Pro State Championship at Kamper Park and later claimed a district title in 1946, playing games across the region and drawing large crowds both on base and in town. For those watching, this wasn’t just wartime entertainment. It was high-level baseball.

Why Southern Miss Wears the Jerseys

Golden Eagles’ first baseman Matthew Russo rounds third base and heads home in last year’s Camp Shelby game

This isn’t the first time Southern Miss has honored that legacy, as this will be the third straight year the Golden Eagles have donned the jerseys.

The uniforms worn this weekend are recreations of those Camp Shelby All-Star jerseys, part of this weekend’s Military Appreciation Game and a partnership with the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum.

They were first introduced as a tribute to the WWII-era teams. Teams made up of players who balanced baseball with service, competition with sacrifice.

As museum director Tommy Lofton put it, the jerseys are meant to honor players “who served… and the games that helped take our minds off war.”

This weekend, those uniforms come back to life.

⚾ Game Info: Southern Miss vs Appalachian State

Saturday, March 28 | 2:00 PM | Pete Taylor Park

Southern Miss returns to Pete Taylor Park Saturday afternoon looking to take control of the weekend series against Appalachian State in a key Sun Belt matchup. First pitch is set for 2:00 PM, with perfect baseball weather expected in the low-to-mid 60s under clear skies.

The Golden Eagles enter the game at 20–6 overall (4–3 Sun Belt), continuing what has been one of the strongest starts in the country this season.

🔥 Pitching Matchup

Southern Miss: RHP Camden Sunstrom (2–1, 2.22 ERA)

Sunstrom gets the Saturday start for the Golden Eagles after emerging as one of the most reliable arms in the rotation. The sophomore right-hander has posted a 2.22 ERA with strong command, giving Southern Miss a steady presence in the middle game of the series.

Appalachian State: RHP Gage Peterson (3–0, 1.35 ERA)

App State counters with its best arm in Peterson, who has been dominant early in the season. In six starts, he owns a 1.35 ERA with 47 strikeouts, making this one of the toughest pitching matchups Southern Miss will face all year.