A native of the Inverness area of Indianola, Coolidge Ball enrolled at the university in 1970 as its first Black student-athlete scholarship player. Ball continued to cross barriers and set new standards throughout his life. A statue was dedicated to him on May 15, 2021, at the Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss.
Often affectionally called “Cool-Aid,” Ball’s teammates unanimously voted him MVP and team captain. He received the SEC Basketball Living Legend Award, was named to the Ole Miss All-Century Team and was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Ole Miss M-Club Hall of Fame. In 2021, the Ole Miss Alumni Association inducted him into the Ole Miss Alumni Hall of Fame. Ball was a brother of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Eta Lambda Sigma chapter. He received the Honorary Citizen Award from the city of Baton Rouge and Legacy Award for Goodwill Ambassador from civic organizations.
He played semi-professional basketball and was recruited by the Harlem Globetrotters. He coached alongside his coach, Kenneth “Cat” Robbins for four years at Northwest Mississippi Community College.
Ball strongly believed in lifelong learning and worked with his church and community youth to help them reach their goals in life. He served as a deacon in his church and cards greatly for all people.
He owned Ball Sign Co. and traveled around the country using his artistic talents as a graphic artist and sign painter. In 2023, we lost this legend who was an outstanding representative of the university and Ole Miss athletics. He left behind his wife of 47 years Ruth Adams and their two children, Telitha and Anthony, and grandchildren, Marion and Mason.