MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2011

By: Representative Holloway To: Rules

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 39

1 A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING ROY LEE HILTON FOR 2 HIS MANY ATHLETIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FOR BEING ONE OF THREE 3 INDIVIDUALS FROM HAZLEHURST, MISSISSIPPI, WHO HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF 4 AN NFL TEAM THAT HAS WON THE SUPER BOWL. 5 WHEREAS, Roy Lee Hilton was born in Georgetown, Mississippi, 6 on March 23, 1943, but he was raised by an older sibling in 7 Hazlehurst, Mississippi, after both his father and mother died 8 before he reached six years of age; and 9 WHEREAS, Roy attended Parrish High School where he started

10 playing football in his junior year, but he did not become a 11 standout athlete until he grew three inches taller before the 12 start of his senior year when he became known as "Killer" Hilton; 13 and 14 WHEREAS, Roy was recruited by Utica Junior College in Utica, 15 Mississippi, where he played defensive end and offensive tackle 16 before transferring to Jackson State University on a football 17 scholarship, where he became the starting defensive end and

18 offensive tackle; and 19 WHEREAS, drafted in the 15th round by the Baltimore Colts in 20 1965, Roy played with the Colts for nine years as a defensive end,

21 playing in two Super Bowls, losing Super Bowl III to the New York 22 Jets by a score of 16-7 in the Orange Bowl in 1969, before 23 returning to the Orange Bowl in 1971 and defeating the Dallas 24 Cowboys by a score of 16-13 in to reign as world 25 champions; and

26 WHEREAS, Roy continued his NFL career after being traded to 27 the prior to the 1974 season, where he set the

H. R. No. 39 *HR12/R1783* N1/2 11/HR12/R1783 PAGE 1 (CAA\DO) 28 franchise record for the longest fumble return by running the ball 29 71 yards for a touchdown; and 30 WHEREAS, after finishing his successful career stint in the 31 as a member of the during 32 the 1975 season, Roy worked several jobs before settling in as a 33 Johns Hopkins University campus police officer, retiring after 20

34 years of diligent public service; and 35 WHEREAS, Roy has been happily married to his high school 36 sweetheart, Marie, for 45 years, and they have three daughters who 37 have blessed them with six grandsons, one of whom is a graduate of 38 Loyola University-Maryland where he played basketball and another 39 has followed in his grandfather's footsteps by playing football 40 for the University of Pennsylvania; and 41 WHEREAS, Roy Hilton is one of a select group of citizens of

42 Hazlehurst, Mississippi, including Lawrence Pillers and Lewis 43 Tillman, who have accomplished the ultimate victory in 44 professional football by being members of NFL teams that have won 45 the Super Bowl; and 46 WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to 47 recognize and commend outstanding individuals such as Roy Lee 48 Hilton, who has represented the State of Mississippi exceptionally 49 well in athletics as well as in his personal life:

50 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF 51 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby 52 recognize and commend Roy Lee Hilton for his many athletic 53 accomplishments and for being one of three individuals from 54 Hazlehurst, Mississippi, who has been a member of an NFL team that 55 has won a Super Bowl. 56 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be 57 furnished to Roy Lee Hilton and to the members of the Capitol 58 Press Corps.

H. R. No. 39 *HR12/R1783* 11/HR12/R1783 ST: Roy Lee Hilton; commend on athletic PAGE 2 (CAA\DO) accomplishments and upon being a Super Bowl champion.