Ace Cleveland

Ace Cleveland served as the sports information director for the University of Southern Mississippi from 1955-1986.  He attended Hattiesburg High School, lettering in football, basketball, track and field, and tennis.  He played semi-pro baseball before and after a two year stint in the U.S. Navy during World War II.  Cleveland joined the staff of Southern Miss in 1955 as the assistant director of public relations and sports information.  He was appointed director two years later.  Prior to joining the USM staff, he was a reporter and sports editor at the Hattiesburg American and the Jackson Daily News.  In his position as USM’s sport information director, he was involved in promoting and writing about some of the school’s greatest moments, including two UPI small college national football championships.  The press box at M.M. Roberts Stadium is now named in his honor.  In 1980, Cleveland was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Writers Association hall of Fame as one of the five charter members.  He was inducted into the M-Club Alumni Association Sports Hall of Fame in 1985, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 and the MCJ Hall of Fame in 2010.  His sons Rick and Bobby are well known sports journalists at the Clarion-Ledger.