It was a full circle moment for Bill Kellum as a high school football official two weeks ago.
Almost 50 years to the date of his first assignment on the field as an official at the Nov. 2 game at New Hope, Kellum finished his regular-season career once again at New Hope. The Trojans hosted the West Point Green Wave.
Kellum is working in a couple of more Mississippi High School Activities Association playoff games before he hangs up his whistle for good, but stepping onto the field at New Hope one more time was ironic.
The memories started flooding back into Kellum's mind about his first opportunity on the field in 1973.
“We started the regular season on Friday night and that was the Friday night after Labor Day,” Kellum said. “In 1973, I was supposed to be the clock operator. That's what we normally do for three seasons and my crew official was Mr. 'Big Al' Wehr. Big Al also kept stats for Mississippi State and was a professor at State. I worked to help him keep stats for the football games and I got on his crew.
“He called me the night before that game and said, 'Bill, you are not going to be the clock operator.' I asked, 'Big Al, did I do anything wrong?' He said, 'No, no, no, you are going on the field tomorrow night,' and I said, 'Big Al, I don't know about that.'”
The reason for the move was that the umpire that was supposed to work the game had a massive heart attack and Kellum's services were needed on the field because there were only four-men crews in those days.
Kellum received some advice from Wehr on the way to New Hope for the game.
“Big Al coached me on the way over there,” Kellum said. “He said, 'Bill, I know you are a rookie and are scared to death, but just keep your flag in your pocket and your mouth shut for four quarters and we'll get through this,' so that's what I did.”
Fast forward 50 years and Kellum got the assignment again to go to New Hope.
“We're assigned by our crew leaders here in Starkville and through Dragonfly, which is an organization that aligns all of our crews from week to week. Bo Bell and (the late) Roger Short were our assigners. I got a text that my assignment was to go to New Hope.”
Between the assignments at New Hope, Kellum has seen quite a bit.
Over the years, Kellum's District 4 crew traveled as far east as the Alabama state line to Amory north, Carroll County west and Philadelphia south.
Many of the schools that Kellum saw are now consolidated like Alexander, B.L. Moor, Kilmichael, Sturgis and Weir. Three of the players that Kellum watched on the field while officiating were Jerry Rice at B.L. Moor, Jeffery Simmons at Noxubee County and Marcus Dupree at Philadelphia.
Some of the area players that have gone on to major college and National Football League careers, Kellum saw while working the Pop Warner League in Starkville for 15 years on Saturdays.
“Bill has been an outstanding official for a long time,” Bell said. “He has seen a lot of great players and coaches and officiated some great games. Personally, I know Bill to be a good Christian man committed to working hard to be the best official possible. His motto is 'have whistle will travel.' He is always willing to go wherever and whenever to help out.
“Most officials never get close to 50 years so this is a special achievement and he still moves like a 30-year-old. Hopefully he changes his mind and shoots for 55 years, but if not, he has been an asset to our association and we will miss him.”
Being an official was never about the money for Kellum as they only make $40 per game, but he did it “for the love of the sport and the kids.”
Kellum has worked between 550-600 varsity football games over his career, 1,200-1,500 seventh- and eighth-grade junior varsity games and 50-60 playoff games. He appreciates the sacrifices made by his wife, Lanell, and his family for all of the Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays when he called various games.
After all of that time on the field, now is the time to call it a career. He now looks forward to spending more time at his Bellefontaine home in Webster County, watching his grandkids on Friday nights and being the one giving the referees a hard time from the stands.
“I've been on the field a lot,” Kellum said. “I was satisfied with the career I've had in the Mississippi High School Activities Association as well as private schools on Thursdays.
“I'm 70 years old. The kids are getting quicker, I'm getting slower and they are using me for a blocking dummy. I know when it's time. I've had a wonderful career and worked with many fine officials over the years.”
Kellum has associated with over 100 officials throughout his career with some of his mentors being Wehr, Juicy Scales, Dr. E.C. O'Neal, Larry Bell and Robert McDavid. He also expressed thanks to his current crew of Jacob Fulper, Eddie Myles, Ty Abernathy, William Marsh, David Darby and Wilson Robinson.
As his time as an official comes to a close, there is one message that Kellum wants to leave with everyone and understand.
“When the last whistle blows and last flag is thrown, I want everyone to know I love football and officiated with great passion, but I love my Savior Jesus Christ even more,” Kellum said. “I want everyone to know that they know and that they know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.”
