SOUTHAVEN, Miss – The Mississippi RiverKings organization has produced many great players, along with two championships in its eighteen year history. On Saturday night the team will honor its most prolific goal scorer and community advocate. Former captain, Don Parsons, the all-time minor league career goal leader, will see his number 13 jersey hoisted to the rafters of the Desoto Civic Center. Parsons began his professional career in 1992 with the Nashville Knights of the ECHL. His career would span seventeen seasons with thirteen teams in five leagues. The place where he made his biggest mark, though, was in the Mid-South region. The Boston native accumulated 552 points in six seasons as a RiverKing, leading the team to back-to-back Ray Miron President Cups in 2002 and 2003. He scored 90-plus points in four of his six seasons there. “He was a phenomenal player,” said former teammate and current team captain Derek Landmesser. “He wasn’t a guy that just had the natural ability to score goals. He worked hard at getting goals, and he was really good at it,” he added.
Fellow RiverKing veteran Louis Dumont also recalled playing with Parsons. “He was consistent every year that he played…everywhere he went, he had success. He could single-handedly explode during the night and win the game for you,” said Dumont. The list of accolades attained by Parsons on the ice is lengthy. Not surprisingly, the list of off-ice accomplishments can be described the same way. His “Parsons’ Pledge” raised over $80,000 for charities during his stint with the team. The “goals-for-charity” program allowed fans to donate a certain amount of money for each goal he scored. During the 2002-03 season he tallied 71 goals and raised $30,000 for Memphis Oral School for the Deaf and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The two causes were close to Parsons’ heart, as his daughter Maggy was born profoundly deaf and near the same time his father was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. His leadership on the ice, and in the community earned him the respect of teammates and competitors alike.
“He’s a real good guy on and off the ice,” said Darrell Stoddard who played his rookie season for the ‘Kings during Parsons’ final year there. “He’s just a class act, he’s a good guy who was really involved in the community,” said Stoddard. “He was a good leader, and seemed to be a solid citizen,” added Dumont. “He did a lot of good things here, especially in Southaven.” Now its time for the team and community to give back to Parsons by retiring his number. Before the RiverKings’ 7:05 P.M. face-off with the arch-rival Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, fans will be treated to a video chronicling his career highlights and work within the community. Afterwards, the number 13 will make its ascent towards its permanent home high above the DCC ice.
“I’m sure they’re going to put on a nice little show for him, it will bring back some memories,” said Landmesser. “We had some real good times and its going to be a special night for him.”
Contact John.Hall@prohockeynews.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.