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Book Tells of Chargers' Glory

Written by Josh Neaves, Northeast Ledger

In 1975, Jackson football history was made. Thirty-three years later Jerome Gentry is trying to uncover it.

Gentry's book, Mississippi's Uncovered Glory, covers the 1975 Callaway Chargers, the first team in the state to record a 12-0 season and the only team in the past 50 years from the Jackson metro area to record an undefeated season.

Gentry has a special reason for writing about the team. His brother, Lepolian Gentry, was the team's running back.

Lepolian played for Jackson State as a freshman but died of natural causes in 1977, shortly after his freshman year was complete.

Jerome decided to write the book to commemorate his brother and educate those that didn't know him or about his ability.

"I not only wanted to commemorate my brother, but I also wanted my two daughters to have an idea about their uncle," Jerome said.

Jerome hopes that readers will not only see a great football player, but also see what a great student and citizen he was.

"He was a two-time All-American and had offers from just about every school in the country," Jerome said of his brother. "But he also had a super personality and was an honor roll student."

If it weren't for Jerome's fumbles, though, Lepolian might not have ever gotten a carry.

"We started in the same backfield in our first game," Jerome said. "I was the halfback and he was the fullback. I rushed for over 100 yards but I fumbled the ball four times. Next game I was a nose guard and he was the halfback."

A trip to the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum also fanned Jerome's writing flame. He was surprised not to find any notice of Mississippi's first undefeated team in the museum.

"It was shocking - there wasn't anything about us anywhere," Jerome said. "There was no sign that the team even existed."

A little piece of the team's history will be in the Hall shortly. Defensive end Tyrone Keys will be inducted later this year, and in his case will be a copy of Mississippi's Uncovered Glory.

Jerome hopes that the inclusion of his book will set a place for the entire team.

"We're hoping to get something," Jerome said. "We're hosting a book signing there."

The '75 edition of the Chargers not only accomplished great things as a team but also individually.

Keys went on to play with the Chicago Bears on the 1985 Super Bowl championship team. Quarterback Roy Coleman was the first black quarterback signed by the University of Mississippi.

All together the 1975 team had 13 players sign scholarships to play collegiate football.

Jerome along with coach W. C. Gorden, Keys, Coleman, Alan Massey, Terrance Shirley, Larry Friday, David Bean, Roland Powell, coach Odell Jenkins, coach Skip Bilbro and Marcy Forester will all be at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame from 1:30 until 3 p.m. today for a book signing.

Mississippi's Uncovered Glory isn't only a football history, though. It's also a story about character, hope and desire.

There will also be a scholarship fund established named the Lepolian R. Gentry Scholarship Award.

Jerome said the scholarship will be given to a football player from the Jackson metro area who not only excels at his sport but also in the classroom and in the community, just like his brother.

"Athletes today are given a lot of awards for being good athletes, but we want to give them something for a being people with good character, too."