Kyser Miree Memorial Fishing Tournament Keeps Slain Mobile Man’s Legacy Alive

A fishing tournament born out of tragedy has become a fixture on Mobile’s summer calendar, drawing anglers and old friends together each year to remember a young man whose life was cut short in a 2010 home invasion.

The Kyser Miree Memorial Fishing Tournament, now in its third year of competition, honors the memory of Kyser Miree, a Chevron engineer who was shot and killed during a robbery at his home on Macy Place in Mobile. The tournament was conceived by friends and family who wanted to turn their grief into something that would keep giving back to the community Miree loved.

“This is our third year. It would be our fourth, but we had the oil spill the year Kyser died. We’ve gained a lot of traction and expect to have a big turnout,” said Bry Shields, one of the organizers behind the tournament.

Organizers say the event is as much about celebrating who Miree was as it is about the fishing itself. Friends describe him as someone deeply engaged in the Mobile community, and they wanted an event that would reflect that spirit rather than simply mark his death.

“Keep some of the good, because Kyser was very involved in the community, and he brought a lot of good in Mobile. This is just a way to carry that on,” Shields said.

This year’s tournament will draw participants from well beyond the Mobile area. Miree’s parents are expected to travel from Birmingham to take part, alongside many of the friends who grew up with him or worked alongside him before his death.

Proceeds from entry fees and sponsorships are distributed to several charitable causes each year. A portion of the money funds a scholarship established in Miree’s name at Vanderbilt University, his alma mater, while the bulk of the remaining proceeds benefit two local children’s charities.

“All of our profits go to charity. Some of them go to the scholarship at Vanderbilt in his name. Some of it, a lot of it actually, goes to Wilmer Hall Children’s Home and St. Mary’s Home here in Mobile,” Shields said.

Tickets for this year’s tournament remain on sale until midnight and can be purchased at the Ship-N-Shore on Dauphin Island or at Greer’s on Dauphin Island Parkway, as well as online through the tournament’s website. Anglers who want to maximize their time on the water this weekend have another option as well: the Stripers fishing tournament is being held on the island at the same time, and organizers are offering combination tickets that allow participants to fish in both tournaments.

About the Beneficiaries

Both charities that benefit from the tournament have deep roots in Mobile. St. Mary’s Home was founded by the Catholic Church in 1838. Wilmer Hall was founded by the Episcopal Church in 1864.

The oil spill Shields mentioned was the Deepwater Horizon disaster, which began on April 20, 2010. It led federal and state officials to close large stretches of Gulf and Alabama coastal waters to fishing that year.