Gone are the days of three-sport collegiate athletes. At the University of Mississippi, one can trace the end of that era to the year 1956, when senior Eddie Crawford, a native of Jackson, Tennessee, was the last to excel at football, basketball, and baseball. He is considered one of the finest team leaders and coaches developed during the legendary John Vaught era. An all-state high school athlete in football and basketball, Crawford also played in the National High School All-American baseball game and even declined offers from several clubs to play professional baseball. Instead, he headed to Ole Miss, where he started as football halfback in 1955-1956 and averaged 6.4 yards a carry for the Rebels. In baseball he lettered three times and was team captain and an All-SEC center fielder in 1956. Eddie chose to follow up his impressive collegiate career by entering professional football, starting for the New York Giants in 1957 as a defensive back and flanker. An injury ended his career after only one season, so Eddie joined the coaching ranks in 1958 at Greenville (Mississippi) High School. In 1962 he moved to the athletic department at his alma mater, where he has coached and scouted and is currently the Senior Associate Athletic Director. It should come as no surprise that the three-sport wonder who has devoted his collegiate and professional careers to the University of Mississippi is a member of the Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame.
