JACKSON — Six days after unexpectedly not showing up for his induction into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, Natchez native Hugh Green has apologized and given an excuse for his absence.

In a statement released by Jackson attorney Wayne Ferrell, Green said he did not attend because of “an unfortunate miscommunication” between him and a scheduled off-duty law enforcement officer who was supposed to drive him to the ceremony.

The statement says the scheduled driver believed that the banquet was Saturday, Aug. 1 instead of the correct date of Friday, July 31. Green attempted to contact the driver on Friday, but by the time he reached the officer, it was too late for him to reach the ceremony.

The statement goes on to say that when Green learned of his inability to attend the banquet, he called his only contact with the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, Jackie Sherrill. Sherrill then informed other representatives of the Hall of Fame of Green’s transportation problems.

However, Hall of Fame Executive Director Michael Rubenstein said that Sherrill told officials about 20 minutes before the banquet started that Green would not attend, but did not give a reason why.

“I am embarrassed, and I hope that my absence did not distract from honoring the other selectees,” Green is quoted as saying in the statement. “I made a planning mistake in my arrangements to attend the banquet. I feel extremely honored to have been selected for induction into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. I believe selection to the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame is an honor of the highest order.”

The statement closed by saying Green requests that his selection for the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame be honored by the Board and Committee selecting and inducting Hall of Fame members.

However, that decision will be left up to the Hall of Fame Board of Directors at its next meeting Aug. 24, Rubenstein said Thursday.

“I’ll share (this statement) with the board,” Rubenstein said. “The topic will come up then. The ultimate authority is with the board. All policy, including selections, rests with the board of directors.”

Rubenstein said Green called him on Tuesday and they spoke for about 20 minutes.

Rubenstein declined to give the specifics of the conversation, but did say it was “A friendly but candid conversation.”

While Green is hoping that his apology and excuse will get him back into the Hall of Fame, a member of the committee that nominated Green to the Hall isn’t so sure about that.

“He did the right thing by apologizing, but then he tried to make an excuse,” the member, who did not want to be named, said. “If he just manned up and said ‘I made a mistake,’ that’s all he’s got to do. But to put the excuse on the driver, that just doesn’t wash.”