On April 26, 2025, Basil Shabazz was one of the six initial inductees and All-Time Greats chosen by the Bill Carr Museum & Jefferson County Sports Hall of Fame, along with former NFL player and UAPB head coach Monte Coleman, NFL Hall of Fame members Don Hutson and Willie Roaf, and former Major League Baseball greats Torii Hunter and Rickey Henderson.
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Basil Shabazz was born right here in Pine Bluff, Arkansas on January 31st, 1972 to Khaleelah Shabazz and Donald Scott. Shabazz had little contact with his father and moved from Pine Bluff to Little Rock to Southern California as his mother struggled to support him and his two brothers Nsar and Ata. The family eventually settled in Pine Bluff where Shabazz began to flourish in sports.
The Pine Bluff community began to realize just how talented Shabazz was, especially on the basketball court at just 12 years old, Shabazz could already dunk. Upon entering high school, Shabazz and his close friend, Torii Hunter, realized that sports might be the way out of poverty for themselves and their families. In an interview with www.ksdk.com, Hunter stated that, “He and I kind of grew up in poverty and we were like, ‘We need to get a scholarship and go to college; we’ve got to try to help our families.” Being so naturally gifted at sports, Shabazz just wanted to play every sport he could to the best of his abilities. According to Shabazz, “Growing up we would play baseball sometimes all day, sometimes for two or three hours and then we would play football for two to three hours, then go play basketball.”
It was this love for sports, natural talent, and work ethic that led to some of his most amazing feats. As just a high school sophomore, Shabazz set a state high jump record of 6 feet 9 inches, set a state record in the 200 meter-dash by running 20.8 seconds, and set a state record of 24 feet 3 inches in the long jump.
As a high school senior he led the Pine Bluff Zebras to a 33-13 victory against the undefeated Texarkana team, scoring five touchdowns and rushing for more than 157 yards during the first half. It was then that he earned the nickname, “The Great Shabazz,” still revered to this day. During his senior year Shabazz talked his way onto the baseball team whose playing schedule had always conflicted with his track and field meets. It was his last chance and he wanted to play for his high school team. And play he did. With just a partial season, Shabazz managed to hit .351 and attract the attention of college baseball scouts. By the end of his high school career, he was an All-American in four sports: football, basketball, track and field, and baseball.
Though he had college offers in football, Shabazz chose baseball and was the third round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals. As a potential major league player, he was sent to Tennessee to play for the Johnson City Cardinals minor league team for development. Unlike the other three sports he played, baseball proved most difficult but not enough to deter him. Steve Durco, the manager of The Cardinals at time said, “He could run, he could throw and in batting practice you saw his raw power,” Turco said. “He stole 43 bases (in 56 games, which led the league) and missed like 10 days of the season with an injury. I thought if he could learn to hit, this guy was a potential five-tool player.”
Shabazz worked hard, moving his way up the ranks. He was named to the Appalachian League All-Star team, promoted to Double A Arkansas, and ended his 1993 season as the fourth-best prospect according to Baseball America. A run-in occurred with campus police in October of 1994, as he visited friends at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. The officer saw a handgun beneath the seat and a small amount of marijuana and rolling papers. Both Shabazz and Hunter were arrested on misdemeanor charges for possession. Shabazz also was charged with felony possession of a firearm on campus. The charges were eventually dropped four months later but by then The Cardinals had already released Shabazz.
Shabazz enrolled at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in the fall of 1995 but could not play football until 1996, five years after his last game. Shabazz picked up where he left off. In one game, he returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter en route to being named the game’s most valuable player. Things took a turn for the worse during his sophomore year when he suffered a serious neck injury and temporarily lost the feeling in his limbs. After suffering that loss, Shabazz moved to Texas to be with college sweetheart, Reca Barnes, who was having their first child. The couple got married and had two more children.
Though Shabazz initially did odd jobs and enjoyed the anonymity of not excelling in sports, he eventually found his calling as a father, husband, man of God, and a youth sports coach in baseball, basketball, and football.
On December 11, 2024, Shabazz was one of the six initial inductees and All-Time Greats chosen by the Bill Carr Museum & Jefferson County Sports Hall of Fame, along with former NFL player and UAPB head coach Monte Coleman, NFL Hall of Fame members Don Hutson and Willie Roaf, and former Major League Baseball greats Torii Hunter and Rickey Henderson. These Pine Bluff sports greats will formally be inducted on April 26, 2025, at the Pine Bluff Country Club.
Later this month, the rest of the initial Hall of Fame class will also be announced.
According to Jeff Gross, chairman of the committee for the Bill Carr Museum & Jefferson County Sports Hall of Fame, "The Hall of Fame Class will consist of athletes who have played in the MLB, NBA, NFL, and many other sports. Our most emphasis is on their success after high school. We will honor over 100 athletes, coaches, and teams in the inaugural class. There have been so many great athletes (dating back to the 1920s)."
To be eligible, candidates have to have been born in Jefferson County, spent their early childhood in Jefferson County, graduated from high school, or lived more than half a life in the county. Jefferson County Sports Hall of Fame candidates must also be in good standing with the law and be at least 25 unless they die before the age of 25. The Museum will also expand to honor the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff's greatest athletes, the greatest sports moments in Pine Bluff history, and lifetime achievement awards in future exhibits.
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Written by: Ninfa O. Barnard