Coach D. M. Howie is a famed championship coach and umpire who is a tireless ambassador for the sport of baseball in Mississippi. A Jackson native who graduated from Jackson Central High in 1956. Coach Howie served in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1953. He played football, basketball, and baseball at Mississippi College where he received degrees in 1967 and 1969. His legendary 34-year coaching career began in 1967 at St. Joseph High where he led the Bruins to 13 district titles, 4 South State crowns, 2 Little Dixie titles, five state runner-up finishes, and state championships in 1969, 1975, and 1977. He then served as head coach at Northwest Rankin from 1982 to 1984 and 1988 to 1991 and guided the Cougars to 4 district titles, 2 South State crowns, and two 3rd place finishes in the state tournament. He coached at Madison Ridgeland Academy and Madison Central High from 1990 to 1995 before returning to St. Joseph from 2003 to 2004. His diamond teams compiled an overall record of 495-295 with 3 State titles, 8 South State crowns, 17 District championships, 2 Little Dixie conference titles, and state runner-up on 5 occasions. As an innovative coach, Coach Howie was among the first to use batgirls and charge admission to high school baseball games. He helped design and build baseball diamonds at St. Joseph, Northwest Rankin, and Madison Central. He is one of the founders of the Crossroads Diamond Club and the originator of the Mississippi High School All-Star baseball game in 1975 which is now named in his honor. He coached in the 1994 D. M. Howie All-Star game. He was named Coach of the Year in 1975 and 1994 by the MAC and Southern Region of the NAHSC and was selected as a Star Teacher in 1975 & 1980. Insisted on using the term “baseball coaches” when referring to fellow diamond coaches. D.M. served as an umpire for 45 years and was an honored member of the MAC, the NAHSC, the Middle Mississippi Umpires Association, and the Mississippi Private School Umpire Association. He is currently serving as assistant baseball coach at Tougaloo College.