UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 14A

                Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
               Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.   )

Filed by the Registrant [X]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [_]

Check the appropriate box:

[_]  Preliminary Proxy Statement          [_]  Soliciting Material Pursuant to
[_]  Confidential, For Use of the              SS.240.14a-11(c) or SS.240.14a-12
     Commission Only (as permitted
     by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
[_]  Definitive Proxy Statement
[X]  Definitive Additional Materials


                               Delta Apparel, Inc.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)


Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

[X]  No fee required.
[_]  Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.

1)   Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

________________________________________________________________________________
2)   Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

________________________________________________________________________________

3)   Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction  computed  pursuant
     to Exchange  Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is
     calculated and state how it was determined):

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4)   Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

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5)   Total fee paid:

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     [_]  Fee paid previously with preliminary materials:

________________________________________________________________________________
     [_]  Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
          Rule  0-11(a)(2)  and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee
          was paid  previously.  Identify  the previous  filing by  registration
          statement number, or the form or schedule and the date of its filing.

          1)   Amount previously paid:

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          2)   Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

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          3)   Filing Party:

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          4)   Date Filed:

________________________________________________________________________________





[LOGO]                         DELTA APPAREL, INC.
                        2750 Premiere Parkway, Suite 100
                              Duluth, Georgia 30097
                            Telephone (678) 775-6900

                                October 31, 2000


                             YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT
                     DO NOT SIGN RAINSFORD'S BLUE PROXY CARD
                 ONLY VOTE THE WHITE PROXY CARD FROM YOUR BOARD


Dear Fellow Shareholders:

     By now you have received proxy  materials from your Delta Apparel Board and
proxy materials from a renegade group organized by Bettis Rainsford  relating to
the annual  meeting of Delta  Apparel's  shareholders  scheduled for November 7,
2000. PLEASE DISREGARD ANY BLUE PROXY CARD SENT TO YOU BY RAINSFORD. WE STRONGLY
BELIEVE THAT YOUR BEST  INTERESTS  ARE SERVED BY SIGNING,  DATING AND  RETURNING
DELTA APPAREL'S WHITE PROXY CARD.

     Your Board at Delta Apparel has served you well and is best prepared to act
in the best interests of the Delta Apparel  shareholders.  OUR RECORD SPEAKS FOR
ITSELF:

o    UNDER  CURRENT  MANAGEMENT,  YOUR STOCK HAS GONE UP 90% - from about 83/4on
     June 30, 2000, to 16 5/8 on October 27, 2000.

o    UNDER CURRENT MANAGEMENT, PROFITS HAVE GROWN TO RECORD LEVELS - the Company
     has improved from an annual  operating loss of $9.7 million in FY '99 to an
     annual operating income of $12.2 million in FY '00, and to $4.6 million for
     the first quarter of FY '01.

         YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS  UNANIMOUSLY URGES YOU TO COMPLETE,  SIGN, DATE
AND RETURN MANAGEMENT'S WHITE PROXY CARD, IN ITS POSTAGE-PAID  ENVELOPE,  VOTING
"FOR" ALL OF ITS NOMINEES.  If you have already completed a WHITE proxy card and
returned it to the Board,  we thank you for your support and your  confidence in
us, but we ask that you sign and return the  enclosed  card to insure  that your
vote gets properly counted.

         REMEMBER:  PLEASE  DO NOT  RETURN  THE BLUE  PROXY  CARD TO  RAINSFORD.
                               ===
Sending in a blue card will negate any prior  white card that you have sent.  If
you have  returned a blue proxy card,  please  change your vote to protect  your
interests by SIGNING AND  RETURNING A WHITE PROXY CARD.  Your latest dated proxy
card will determine how your shares are voted at the meeting.

         If any of your  shares are held in the name of a bank,  broker or other
nominee,  please contact the party  responsible for your account and direct them
to vote your shares for Delta Apparel's nominees on the WHITE proxy card.
                                                        -----






         We appreciate your continued support and will continue to update you on
developments on this proxy contest. You are likely to receive more mailings from
Rainsford and his proxy solicitor. If you have any questions about Delta Apparel
or your investment, please call Georgeson toll free at (800) 223-2064.

                                   Sincerely,

                                   /s/ E. Erwin Maddrey, II
                                   -------------------------------
                                   E. Erwin Maddrey, II
                                   Chairman




If you have any  questions,  need  another copy of our Proxy  Statement  for the
Annual Meeting or need further assistance in voting your shares, please call:

                   GEORGESON SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS INC.
                          17 State Street, 10th Floor
                               New York, NY 10004
                         Call Toll Free (800) 223-2064\




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