Legendary Peanut Man Returns

By Melanie Thortis
mthortis@rankinledger.com

Melanie Thortis/Rankin Ledger Jesse Houston, 70, waits for customers to buy his roasted peanuts last week off Crossgates Boulevard. Houston, who has battled cerebral palsy since birth, moved back to the metro area three months ago after being away for 2 years. He started selling peanuts during the1970s.

BRANDON — The peanut man is back in town and has set up shop in Rankin County.

Jesse Houston Jr. became a legend selling peanuts at baseball games at Smith-Wills Stadium, where his smile, warm personality and three-wheeled truck made him a fixture for decades.

He left 12 years ago to live with family in Alabama. But after moving back to Mississippi three months ago with his sister and brother-in-law, Jackie and Paul Earley, Houston said he started scouting a place to sell his famous salty treats.

Now Houston, 70, has set up shop with his pint-size truck in front of the Kroger in Brandon, waving to passersby and potential customers. Two or three days a week, Houston is at his spot, selling bags of roasted peanuts for 75 cents each or three for $2.

"I don't have to work," Houston said.

Melanie Thortis/Rankin Ledger A sign is posted in front of Jesse Houston's peanut stand in Brandon welcoming customers. Houston uses a roaster to prepare his product.

The people are what makes his job worthwhile, he said.

Houston was diagnosed at birth with a mild case of cerebral palsy, which affects the motor portion of his brain and limits his speech.

Jackie Earley said she remembers dropping her then-11-year-old brother off at the Children's Cripple Home, where University of Mississippi Medical Center is now, so he could learn how to walk."I just remember waving bye to him, I was crying and he was crying," she said.

Three years later, Houston started walking and hasn't slowed down since.Houston started selling roasted peanuts during football games at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in the 1970s.

He eventually switched sports and rolled his peanut cart to Smith-Wills Stadium to sell to baseball fans.

Houston has slowed down a bit since his heyday of roasting 50 pounds of peanuts to sell on game night at Smith-Wills."They all remember me from the ballpark," Houston said Wednesday while lounging beneath the shade of his trunk, sporting a Mississippi Braves hat. "I'm happy to be back home."

Con Maloney is happy to have Houston back, too.Houston was well established as a peanut vendor at Smith-Wills Stadium when Maloney bought the Jackson Mets in 1982. The two became fast friends, sparking a bond that has lasted 30 years.

"Jesse is as memorable as any of the players that played in Jackson," said Maloney, who later owned the Jackson Generals and co-owns Cowboy Maloney's Electric City.

Houston's determination to do for himself without asking for help from others was an inspiration, Maloney said. "He is one of my greatest heroes," he said.Baseball players and common folk alike seem to gravitate toward Houston. Maybe it's his enormous smile or kind eyes that draw strangers in.

Houston's hazel eyes widen at the mention of selling peanuts at the $28 million Mississippi Braves stadium in Pearl."It's so big," he said waving his hands in the air. The excitement lingers as he ponders the thought. "We'll see."