Coach William “Moose” Perry is a legendary baseball coach with a 50-year career at St. Joseph, Jackson Central, Forest Hill, Mississippi College, Northwest Rankin, Byram, Raymond, Central Hinds, RebUl Academy, and Hinds Community College.  Born in Meridian, Coach Perry graduated from Jackson Central High in 1962 and achieved his college degrees at Mississippi College.  He started as an assistant baseball coach in 1967 at St. Joseph and then Jackson Central High.  He arrived at Forest Hill in 1970 and created a high school baseball dynasty for six seasons.  Moose led Forest Hill to four North Little Dixie Conference championships, three district titles, one South State crown, and the 1974 Class AA State Championship.  Coach Perry then guided the Mississippi College Choctaws baseball team from 1976 to 1979.  At MC, he helped design Frierson Field and develop the Choctaw baseball program into a conference contender.  Moose was a professional baseball scout for 9 years for the Philadelphia Phillies, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Chicago Cubs.  He worked as an assistant coach at Northwest Rankin for two seasons until 1987 and then arrived at Byram High for 5 years leading Byram to three district titles.  He coached Raymond from 1992 to 2001 guiding the Rangers to a district title.  Coach Perry then led teams at Central Hinds Academy, Rebul Academy, and one season at Hinds Community College.  Overall, Moose’s high school baseball teams won 480 games with 187 losses out of 667 games coached.  He has received numerous honors during his career including being named Little Dixie Conference Coach of the Year two times, two-time district coach of the year, and the Metro Coach of the Year by the Clarion Ledger and Jackson Daily News in 1972 and 1974.  Moose was named MAC Baseball Coach of the Year in 1975, the same year he was also regional southeast coach of the year by the National Association of Coaches where he was also finalist for national coach of the year.  He has been a member of the MAC since 1967 where he served on the baseball affairs committee and was a district representative.  He has been a member of the   Crossroads Diamond Club since 1975.  Moose coached and taught for 55 years, only missing two working days in his career.  He is a seven-time Star Teacher as selected by the Mississippi Economic Council.  In addition to baseball, Coach Perry was assistant and head football coach for junior high football, assistant coach for varsity football, a 15-year boys’ cross-country coach, a 4-year girls’ cross-country coach, and head coach of the Raymond girls’ softball team for one season.  During his career, he helped produce 3 players who advanced to the Major Leagues, 18 high school coaches, 1 JUCO coach, 6 college coaches, and 2 minor league coaches.  Off the field, Coach Perry was recognized with the WLBT-TV Spirit of Mississippi Award and was the Cystic Fibrosis Jackson Area Man of the Year in 1987.  Moose was the chaplain for the Jackson Mets from 1977 to 1986 and was the baseball chapel coordinator for the Texas League from 1982 to 1986.  Along with membership in the MAC Coaches Hall of Fame, Moose is a member of the Crossroads Diamond Club Hall of Fame.  The hitting facility at Mississippi College at Frierson Field was named in his honor on April 30, 2022.