Bestselling author John Grisham visited the Delta State campus recently to pay back baseball coach Dave “Boo” Ferriss for cutting him from the team more than three decades ago. That “revenge” turned into a windfall for the Statesmen athletics program.

More than 600 people (including the baseball team) gathered on campus to hear the famous author talk about books, baseball and the school’s legendary coach. The event closed with an auction that raised more than $100,000 for the school’s Green and White Fund.

The unlikely relationship between author and coach began in 1974, when Grisham tried to walk on after a year in junior college. Ferriss saw quickly that Grisham wouldn’t shine on the diamond, but 34 years later, he’s a little peeved that Grisham didn’t tell him he was going to be a world-renowned novelist.

“I could have found a place for him,” the Delta State hall-of-fame skipper said. “Maybe as the clean-up hitter or assistant coach – or even the head coach, because a lot of times I needed some help. I’ve thought many times that if I had kept John, what I could have done for this field – we could have built a dome with a retractable roof.”

Instead, Ferriss told Grisham to “stick to the books.”

“I said to him, ‘Well, you had trouble with the fast ball and trouble with the curve. What can you hit?’ And he said, ‘Well, I can hit a change-up if I know it’s comin’.’ ”

Ferriss, who pitched for the Boston Red Sox in the 1940s, won more than 600 games in 26 years at the Delta State helm before retiring in 1988. Grisham, meanwhile, went on to be a successful lawyer, serve two terms as a state legislator and become one of the premier authors in American history.

Though Grisham spent only one semester at the Division II school, he’s never forgotten the man who he said gave him “the kindest cut.” Upon the release of every new book, Grisham always sends “Boo” and his wife a personalized copy with the inscription, “Thanks for putting me on the right career path, Coach.”

Grisham did more than give Ferriss an autograph after his latest bestseller, “The Appeal.” He also wrote the foreword for an upcoming book about Ferriss, written by Jackson Clarion-Ledger columnist Rick Cleveland. When Ferriss called Grisham to thank him for the book and the testimonial, Grisham said he wanted to pay Ferriss a visit and, in turn, help the program that got him “started.”

In February, Delta State obliged the famous writer with an on-campus reception and auction, featuring items from Grisham and baseball memorabilia from the professional and collegiate ranks. The author and coach discussed Grisham’s dream of playing collegiate baseball for the Statesmen and how coach Ferriss’ decision affected his career. Grisham joked that “any literary success I have had is because of ‘Boo.’ ”

Ferriss said any walk-on got a week to 10 days to show what he could do, but Grisham’s trial included some intrasquad games against a touted recruit who went on to pitch with the California Angels.

“John always talked about his experience with Stewart Cliburn,” Ferriss said. “Cliburn had an outstanding fastball, and one came in right at John’s head. He got out of the way of that.” Grisham bailed on the next pitch too, before it curved right over the plate. “That got a laugh out of the onlookers,” Ferriss said.

About 60 players tried out that year, including returnees, recruits and walk-ons. There was no room for a dreamer.

“I asked him if he’d thought much about his studies at college, and of course he said he hadn’t,” Ferriss said, noting that Grisham hung around his buddies who “enjoyed the social life at Delta State.”

“I told him he’d better pay attention to his books.”

Grisham transferred to Mississippi State, where he said he woke up one day and realized that relying on sports wasn’t going to get him where he wanted to be. He eventually graduated and went on to law school at Ole Miss. He served in the state’s House of Representatives for two terms in Jackson, before he started writing.

“John has continued to support our program throughout the years, and when he brought up the opportunity to come to Delta State for this event, I was floored,” said Ferriss. “We have a special connection with him like no other, and that is worth showcasing.”

Dave “Boo” Ferriss, when he played for the Boston Red Sox. / Photo courtesy of Special Collections, Boston Red Sox.