MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2011

By: Representatives Holloway, Clarke, To: Rules Johnson, Wooten, Calhoun, Evans (91st), Hines, Jones (82nd), Middleton, Thomas, Weathersby

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 35

1 A RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE ATHLETIC CAREER AND 2 ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF MISSISSIPPI'S NATIVE SON AND ATHLETE 3 EXTRAORDINAIRE, LAWRENCE DWIGHT PILLERS. 4 WHEREAS, on November 4, 1952, in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, a 5 great young man was born in the life manifestation of Lawrence 6 Dwight Pillers, who would become an athletic giant in the 7 professional football arena; and 8 WHEREAS, reared by his mother, the late Mary Diane Pillers,

9 working on a small farm with nine siblings, Lawrence attended the

10 Parrish Public School System, and as was the customary practice 11 with many rural families in the Mississippi Delta, was taken out 12 of school by his single mother during cotton-picking season, 13 causing him to be retained for two years due to numerous absences 14 from school; and 15 WHEREAS, after the conclusion of cotton season, Lawrence 16 hauled pulpwood to help subsidize the family's income, and escaped 17 the arduous task of assisting his mother in the cotton fields of

18 Mississippi when opportunity presented itself for him to spend 19 time enjoying sports with his siblings; and 20 WHEREAS, after segregation, Lawrence attended Hazlehurst High 21 School where his enjoyment of sports soon turned into an innate 22 passion, translating into his selection in 1970 and 1971 as 23 All-American in basketball, football and track in the Little Dixie 24 Division Conference, and he had the tremendous opportunity to 25 participate in the Junior Olympics; and

26 WHEREAS, after graduating from high school in 1972, Lawrence 27 received a full scholarship in football to Alcorn A & M College

H. R. No. 35 *HR07/R1700* N1/2 11/HR07/R1700 PAGE 1 (DJ\HS) 28 under the coaching leadership of Marino Casem, who had high 29 expectations of Lawrence, starting him as a freshman, a decision 30 that once again proved positive, as Lawrence was selected as 31 All-American and All-SWAC for four years of his collegiate career; 32 and 33 WHEREAS, during the 1973 football season, Lawrence, who also

34 became a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, shared in the stardom 35 and acclaim of the Alcorn Braves Football Team that was crowned 36 the Black National Champs; and 37 WHEREAS, determined to make a change for his mother and 38 siblings, Lawrence often reflected on the hometown parade given in 39 acknowledgment of Roy Hilton for winning the with the 40 Baltimore Colts in 1969, and was inspired to receive a Super Bowl 41 ring of his own; and

42 WHEREAS, in 1976, Lawrence's ascent to claim his Super Bowl 43 ring began when he was drafted to the NFL in the eleventh round as 44 an outside linebacker by the , but due to his weight 45 he had to assume another position as defensive lineman, initially 46 starting at left defensive end as a rookie, moving two nine-year 47 defensive linemen from their positions; and 48 WHEREAS, in 1978, holding firm to his desire to lift his 49 family out of the impoverished conditions in which he grew up,

50 Lawrence moved his mother and siblings to Lackawanna, New York, 51 where he played four years with the New York Jets before being 52 traded in August 1980 to the where he 53 continued to be a first string starter at defensive end; and 54 WHEREAS, while playing with the 49ers, Lawrence played 55 alongside notables, , and , and 56 in the 1980 playoffs, Lawrence is credited with making it possible 57 for the 49ers to go to Super Bowl XVI where they became world 58 champions, after he hit Danny White, the quarterback for the

59 Dallas Cowboys, forcing a fumble; and

H. R. No. 35 *HR07/R1700* 11/HR07/R1700 PAGE 2 (DJ\HS) 60 WHEREAS, well on his way to establishing himself as a 61 household name, the Guinness Book of World's Record listed 62 Lawrence Pillers with the world's largest Super Bowl ring, size 63 22, in 1981; he served as back-up starter in the 1983 Pro Bowl; 64 the 49ers had another successful winning season of 18-1 and went 65 to Super Bowl XIX in 1984, allowing Lawrence's aspiration of

66 receiving a Super Bowl ring to pay off twice; and 67 WHEREAS, Lawrence ended his professional career after one 68 season with the , to whom he was traded in 1985, 69 and moved back to Mississippi where he ventured out as an 70 entrepreneur and subsequently as a professional truck driver in 71 1989; and 72 WHEREAS, Lawrence was seen on television throughout 73 Mississippi and was known for his famous saying "Anything he

74 wants" after being asked what does a guy with two Super Bowl rings 75 do, and later became employed with Mississippi State Hospital for 76 ten years in the psychology department before moving in 2003, to 77 Havana, Florida, where he became the Director of Adult Day 78 Training Program at Easter Seals of North Florida in Tallahassee, 79 supervising 20 staff members which oversaw 60 clients with 80 developmental disabilities; and 81 WHEREAS, finding this time to be most rewarding and

82 fulfilling and an opportunity to give back, Lawrence became a solo 83 provider and opened his own company assisting clients with 84 developmental disabilities, a service he still provides to date; 85 and 86 WHEREAS, in the true spirit of giving back, Lawrence has 87 participated with the Jerry Lewis March of Dimes Telethon for many 88 years; serves as a motivational speaker for many schools, churches 89 and boys and girls clubs, and often awing the crowd when he 90 removes his rings to let them take pictures and try them on, as

91 they continue to be amazed at the sizes; and

H. R. No. 35 *HR07/R1700* 11/HR07/R1700 PAGE 3 (DJ\HS) 92 WHEREAS, not selfish to harbor the success of small-town hero 93 to himself, Lawrence gleefully shares the stage with fellow 94 hometowners and Super Bowl champions alike, Roy Hilton of the 1960 95 World Champion Baltimore Colts and Lewis Tillman of the 1991 World 96 Champion New York Giants, who each bring great pride and esteem to 97 their native home of Hazlehurst; and

98 WHEREAS, Lawrence and all of the players of the five-time 99 Super Bowl Championship 49ers were honored in Las Vegas, Nevada, 100 in 2005, again he was honored with the rest of the Goal Uric 101 Stance of Super Bowl XIV in San Francisco in 2007 and was inducted 102 into the Alcorn State University Hall of Fame in 2008; and 103 WHEREAS, Lawrence, who now resides in Quincy, Florida, has 104 enjoyed the constant support and affection of his wife, Chante C. 105 Pillers; their four children, Lawrence, Jr., Annecla, Almecla and

106 Christopher; Lawrence's older children, Asaki Dabney of New 107 Orleans, Louisiana, LaCuria, LaVechelle, LaMarlon Pillers, 108 Lawrence Hopkins and Michelle Brown all of Jackson, Mississippi; 109 and grandchildren, who affectionately refer to him as Big Daddy; 110 and 111 WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to 112 recognize the accomplishments of a great American and an even 113 greater Mississippian, such as Lawrence Pillers, whose career

114 success highlights the potential within every citizen of this 115 state, despite their background: 116 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF 117 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby 118 commend the athletic career and accomplishments of Mississippi's 119 native son and athlete extraordinaire, Lawrence Dwight Pillers, 120 and extend best wishes for continued success in all of his future 121 endeavors. 122 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be

123 furnished to Lawrence Pillers and to the members of the Capitol 124 Press Corps. H. R. No. 35 *HR07/R1700* 11/HR07/R1700 ST: Lawrence Dwight Pillers; commend athletic PAGE 4 (DJ\HS) accomplishments of and for being a two-time Super Bowl champion.