Page 18 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2022

COAST NOTE
Biloxi’s Lord of the Rings
Peter Roy Elder Honored at Biloxi First’s Annual Roast
Peter Roy Elder, a retired big league baseball scout with handfuls of World Series rings, can now add roast honoree to his list of outstanding accomplishments and even though the event was at his expense, he said he loved every second of it.
“The jokes were humorous and tasteful and seemed to be enjoyed by everyone, especially me,” Elder said. “I wouldn't have changed a thing.”
The Biloxi First roasted the long-time baseball personality at its 18th annual event held in October at the IP Casino Resort Spa to raise money for the Biloxi School District.
As a Major League baseball scout, the Biloxi native won six World Series rings-three with the New York Yankees and three with
the San Francisco Giants-during his 33-year career. As a result, Elder was nicknamed by those closest to him “Biloxi’s Lord of the Rings.”
“For so many of my relatives, old friends, classmates, and new friends to take the time out of their probably busy schedules to come and share this honor with me was priceless,” he said. “When you leave for 38 years and then come home and feel as if you'd never left speaks volumes about the type of people who live and reside on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.”
Ann Denison, treasurer and charter member of the Biloxi First, said the decision to honor Elder was an easy choice for the roasting committee. “It was because of his unique position of having earned six World Series rings in his career as a major league baseball scout,” Denison said. “Following his retirement, Peter Roy and his wife, Debbie, moved back to Biloxi where they have been welcomed by a large number of coastal family and friends.”
Biloxi First is a non-profit educational foundation founded in 1989 that believes all students deserve the opportunity to be enriched academically while being challenged creatively. The group’s educational endowment fund was established in 2003 and now exceeds $1 million. The organization has awarded more than $431,000 and funded 620 creative classroom projects in the Biloxi School District. Additional funds have been distributed to programs such as Biloxi Excel by 5, the Biloxi High School Band Foundation, and the Celebration Account which honors teacher achievements. The annual roast is a premier fundraiser for Biloxi First.
“This is such a special event for the schools and students on the Gulf Coast and the show of support by the community for this great cause speaks volumes about the type of people and lifestyle that we have here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast,” Elder said.
story Cherie Ward photos courtesy of Biloxi First
Peter Roy Elder.
18 | December 2022
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
Left to Right:
Peter Roy, Debbie, Blake, and Leah Elder.
Roast Committee.
Left to Right:
Ashley Lamas, Ann Denison, Jennifer Walker, Debbie Elder, Peter Roy Elder, Dewey Mason.