Georgia State's Inaugural D1 Season
- By Jimmy Fowlkes
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- 23 Dec, 2017
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Half of the Original Roster Played for Doc Fowlkes!
I was a proud member of the 1979 Georgia State Panthers' baseball team. After several years without a baseball program, GSU decided to start from scratch their first Division 1 team that was a member of the newly formed Sun Belt Conference.
To my surprise, only 32 players showed up for Coach Jack Humphrey's first try out. Most of the players were so bad that after one day, the roster was trimmed to 16. Those remaining players made up the final roster for the inaugural season.
When I look back on the fond memories of that first season, I always wondered why I had so much fun. Not only did we have a winning season that ended with only 12 losses, but we beat the likes of South Carolina, Georgia Tech and Jacksonville.
I didn't think about it until years later, but the reason was because most of us had played together as little leaguers or older for my father. Doc Fowlkes was one of the most beloved youth coaches around. Of course, my three older brothers and I played for years for my dad, but to have half the roster on a Division 1 team all be influenced by the coaching of one man was unheard of.
There was no "travel ball", most of us knew each other from childhood, and the end result was a group of young men that appreciated the game of baseball. The common denominator among this small group of college athletes was good character which created a family atmosphere that is almost impossible to repeat in this day and age.
Doc Fowlkes is no longer with us today, but his memory will live on forever. The 1979 Georgia State Panthers are just one example of his legacy!
To my surprise, only 32 players showed up for Coach Jack Humphrey's first try out. Most of the players were so bad that after one day, the roster was trimmed to 16. Those remaining players made up the final roster for the inaugural season.
When I look back on the fond memories of that first season, I always wondered why I had so much fun. Not only did we have a winning season that ended with only 12 losses, but we beat the likes of South Carolina, Georgia Tech and Jacksonville.
I didn't think about it until years later, but the reason was because most of us had played together as little leaguers or older for my father. Doc Fowlkes was one of the most beloved youth coaches around. Of course, my three older brothers and I played for years for my dad, but to have half the roster on a Division 1 team all be influenced by the coaching of one man was unheard of.
There was no "travel ball", most of us knew each other from childhood, and the end result was a group of young men that appreciated the game of baseball. The common denominator among this small group of college athletes was good character which created a family atmosphere that is almost impossible to repeat in this day and age.
Doc Fowlkes is no longer with us today, but his memory will live on forever. The 1979 Georgia State Panthers are just one example of his legacy!
As Jeff Frye puts it, the #shegone nation is growing! "People all over the country are on board with our mission to get back to old school baseball!"
What is a Hitting Guru? Why is the Guru named Judy? How did a former major leaguer become buddies with my 11 year old son?
So let me tell you his story. Stan is a huge advocate and supporter of Fowlkes Baseball! The Fowlkes family really owes him a boatload of gratitude.
I'll admit it. I committed a sin! I did something that no other youth baseball coach has ever done. Are you ready for this? I didn't stall.
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