Southern Arkansas University Athletics

A freshman at Magnolia A&M Junior College in 1948, Doyle Wallace earned a scholarship from Coach Elmer Smith during pre-season practice and lettered on an AIC co-championship team.  By his sophomore year he was a two-way starter who played 60 minutes, and was All-AIC as a junior, scoring seven touchdowns as a receiver and another on a pass interception.  Wallace was especially known for his savage hits on opponents while blocking.
         
After military duty in the Korean War, Wallace returned to Southern Arkansas in 1954 as a senior for Coach Auburn Smith.  He also played baseball for Coach Sam Bailey in 1955 and ‘56, hitting .361 and .326, respectively, as the starting right fielder.
           
If SAU had a boxing team, Wallace surely would have been team captain.  He was highly-respected for his boxing skills at both SAU and in the military.  Wallace went on to coach high school football, and in 1970 served as defensive backfield coach and head baseball coach at Arkansas Tech.  From 1978-90, he served as volunteer golf coach at Henderson State.  In 12 seasons, Henderson State won nine consecutive NAIA District 17 championships and eight consecutive AIC championships, earning Wallace induction in the Henderson State Hall of Honor. 

After serving as mayor, Wallace is now semi-retired in his native Bald Knob.  He and his wife, Betty, have three daughters, Terri, Kim, and Lisa, and son, Mike, and four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.