2015 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 129
BY SENATORS JOHNS AND MORRISH
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To express the sincere condolences of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the death of
William Boyce Baggett Sr., former Louisiana State University football player and
outstanding attorney in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
WHEREAS, William Boyce Baggett was born in Greenville, Texas, on June 2, 1929,
and he died in his home in Lake Charles with his family around him on May 20, 2015, at the
age of eighty-five; and
WHEREAS, Baggett obtained an undergraduate degree from Louisiana State
University where he played on the football team; and
WHEREAS, Baggett played halfback on the LSU football team for three seasons,
1948 through 1950, and he was an integral part of the offense of those teams; and
WHEREAS, Billy Baggett was the LSU football team's leading rusher in his final
two seasons, helping the Tigers to an eight win record in 1949 and averaging five and a half
yards per carry during that season; and
WHEREAS, Baggett averaged six and one-half yards per carry during his senior
season in 1950 and set two rushing records that stood for decades; and
WHEREAS, in the 1950 season game in which LSU defeated Ole Miss by a score
of forty to fourteen, Baggett ran eleven times for a total of 192 yards and an average of 17.4
yards per carry, a record which stood for thirty-seven years until 1987 when Harvey
Williams rushed for an average of 19.6 yards per carry and the game total stood as a team
record until LSU star Terry Robiskie rushed for a total of 214 yards against Rice University
in 1976; and
WHEREAS, Baggett was drafted by the National Football League Los Angeles Rams
in 1951, but he did not play for the Rams because he was traded to the Dallas Texans and
played for that team for the 1951 season, the only season in which that NFL franchise
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existed; and
WHEREAS, after his try at the NFL, Baggett returned to Louisiana and attended law
school at LSU, graduating with his law degree in 1953; and
WHEREAS, that same year Billy Baggett married the love of his life, Kara Gael
Salter, and the two shared a remarkable life of love and devotion bringing them both
immense joy and satisfaction for more than sixty years; and
WHEREAS, in 1958, Baggett founded the Baggett-McCall law firm, which
eventually became Baggett, McCall, Burgess, Watson & Gaughan, L.L.C., and he practiced
law in his adopted home town of Lake Charles, Louisiana, never officially retiring from the
practice of law; and
WHEREAS, during his long and distinguished legal career, Baggett served as
president of the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association in 1966 and 1967, he was president of
the Southwest Louisiana Bar Association in 1967, he served on the Association of Trial
Lawyers of America's Board of Governors from 1972 through 1975, and he served as
president of the Louisiana Bar Association in 1980, all positions of prestige and leadership
within the legal profession; and
WHEREAS, throughout their long life together, Kara and Billy found great joy and
love in their family which includes daughter Judy Baggett Maselli and sons William B.
Baggett Jr. and wife Rae Lee, and Christopher Frank Baggett and wife Jane, and
grandchildren Katie, Annie, Kara, Kaough, Molly, Sophia, Gus, Caroline, Blake, and Erin;
and
WHEREAS, Baggett's law partners were an important part of his life as was his
involvement with Sale Street Baptist Church, where he worshiped; and
WHEREAS, Baggett enjoyed fishing, cattle ranching, and scouting for deer,
particularly on his Kara Farms ranch in east Texas; and
WHEREAS, upon Baggett's death, LSU Athletic Director, Joe Alleva, stated:
"Billy Baggett was a great man and a tremendous supporter of LSU. He was one of the great
players of his generation and he was passionate about LSU football. Billy was just as
supportive of academics and the LSU Law School. He loved LSU. He's going to be
missed."
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
express sincere condolences upon the death of William Boyce Baggett Sr., former Louisiana
State University football player and outstanding attorney in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Mrs. Kara Gael Salter Baggett.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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