Gator Dugout Days January 14, 2021 Volume 21 Issue 1 New Year allowing in scholarship funds, an Annual Gator The 2021 Gator season is about to being. Scholarship Fund Tourney was added to our For those fans who opted to attend this year, you events and the most shining accomplishment was should be getting an email stating a date for you to establishing the Gator Dugout Legacy Gift. Those work with your ticket representative. donations allow the Club to be the sponsor of the Gators 2017 National Championship Trophy Case Here’s an exerpt from an email to all opt in in Ballpark. Thanks Henri, I have big persons: “All season ticket holders that opted-in shoes to fill. will be given an appointment time based on the Gator Booster Baseball Loyalty Point system. The ravage of the COVID-19 not only brought our Appointment times will begin the week of January 2020 Baseball season to an abrupt end in March 25. You will receive an email with your and changed not only the sports scene as we knew appointment time and full instructions Thursday, it but changed our everyday life. With the January 21. shutdowns, social distancing and mask wearing our lives and the sporting world were rearranged All seat locations will follow the 6-feet physical dramatically. distancing guidelines and will be sold in pods. Due to the limited number of seats and the amount With this unprecedented malady the Club had to of accounts that opted-in, each account will be face a new way of operating. With the most limited to a maximum of 4 seats. Because of this, talented Board Members I’ve ever had the no one will be able to retain their normal season pleasure to serve with our Club continues to move seats and there is not a guarantee that reserved forward. seats will be available at your appointment time. Masks are also required to be worn at all times The In-person Board Meetings, Club Meetings, during the game.” Tailgates, etc., had to be scrapped. With new 2021 President’s Corner electronic technology your Board adapted to having Zoom meetings so we can still To all our great Dugout Club Members, all those communicate face to face. Having no way of who love Gator Sports and Gator Baseball in conducting General Membership meetings, particular. Welcome to 2021. President Henri Logan was able to secure Webinar

meetings for our Club thanks to Oak Hammock at As I take the reigns as President of the Gator the . Dugout Club, I would be remised in not thanking our Past President, Henrietta (Henri) Logan for her We have been able to have celebrities that we wise leadership, guidance, perseverance and would not have been able to have in any other friendship. I was supposed to take over as venue. Our last three meetings we have had President in 2020 but due to family issues I asked D1Baseball lead National Writer, Kendall Rogers Henri if she would remain President for one more talk about college baseball in general and what year. She graciously accepted and served two may be in store in the future. Nick de la Torre years as our Club President and what two years it ( beat writer for Rivals@Gators has been. Under Henri’s tenure as President, the Territory) held live interviews with former Gator Dugout Club membership has increased, thus pitchers Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar. 1

Keep looking on our Facebook page (Gator give a special thanks to Carol LeBlanc for keeping Dugout Club) and/or our web page at my enthusiasm for Gator Baseball in check and Gatordugoutclub.org for our upcoming January perspective. General Membership meeting for a very special guest. Last thing is I hope everyone has had the chance to visit our wonderful and beautiful new Florida Many Kudos to our Program Director Brian Fox Ballpark. I like many will miss the ‘Ole Mac’ but (Founder/Editor of ChomTalk.com) for arranging what a gem our Student Athletes will get to play top notch speakers for our Membership meetings. on McKethan Field at . What a wonderful fan friendly venue for our fans to watch As we move closer and closer to the start of the Gator Baseball in comfort and style. Baseball Season, I hope everyone is as excited as I am for this coming season. I live in the If any member has a question, complaint or just Jacksonville area and I sure miss my trips down to want to talk please feel free to contact me at Gainesville to watch the Gators play. It is my hope [email protected]. that with the COVID-19 vaccines now being administered our Club will be able to get back to Last reminder, our Club needs a President-Elect our in-person Membership Meetings, tailgates and for this year. If you are interested in serving our gatherings soon. Until then please know that your great organization please let me know. Hope I’m Board members will continue to work tirelessly to able to meet, greet and see many of you at the continue our growth as a Club. We will do Ballpark. Stay safe and most of all, Go Gators!!!!! everything we can to keep you, our members, informed on any activity that is planned during Gary A. Carter, President 2021. Gator Dugout Club

If you haven’t renewed your 2021 Membership please take the time to do so. You can sign up and pay on-line with Pay Pal or your credit/debit card on our website. Remember your membership dollars go directly to the Scholarship Fund to help our Gator Baseball Student Athletes.

We do plan on having our 3rd Annual Scholarship Golf Tourney this spring. Under the extraordinary efforts of Golf Chair, Dorian Lucey and his great committee we have had two very successful Golf

Tourneys and I’m sure we will have another We are still looking for that exceptional person to successful one this year. volunteer to become President Elect for 2021.

Keep an eye out for our upcoming on-line store, Contact any Board member. where you can purchase Club shirts, caps, COVID-19 masks and other great items. SEC Decides Baseball Schedule Announced today SEC baseball will have a typical In closing, I would like to thank our Board schedule of 30 conference games and up to 26 Members for keeping on course under extreme non-conference games just like every other year. circumstances and an incredibly special thanks to Hopefully this means all the teams will be getting Henri Logan, Gordon Burleson, Tom Francella, their shots - so no interruptions! Dorian Lucey, Jeff Smith and Brian Fox for your advice, assistance and friendship. I also want to 2

Gator Dugout Club History Many thanks to Jay* for helping the Club get a During 2021 there will be articles about the foot hold in supporting the program. history of the Club. First is when and how the Club was formed. *I can call him Jay because we went to Winter Park High School at the same time, although I was a grade ahead of him. He was Jay. I was Gordy.

Next issue will cover the 1981-83 years. 2021 Board President: Gary Carter President Elect: Secretary: Gordon Burleson Treasurer: Kat Davis Past President: Henri Logan Membership: Jeff Smith

Coach Jay Bergman Publicity: Suanne Knopf Publicity: Tom Francella The Gator Dugout Club was formed in 1979 by Social: Carol LeBlanc UF baseball coach Jay Bergman. The early Social Media: Georgeanne Paris meetings were marked by a handful of hard-core Program: Brian Fox baseball fans who wanted to support the Gator Awards: Amy Brown baseball program other than attending ballgames. Golf: Dorian Lucey No surprise. The program was under funded. Any Newsletter: Gordon Burleson additional support was welcomed by Coach Raffle: Ann Lucey Bergman. Raffle: Kathy Rhea Shirts/Caps: Bob Smithers There was an attempt to increase dues from $25 to Trips: Allen DeLaney $50 in 1980. $50 dues was a big expense in 1980 UAA Liaison: Buddy Munroe and that proposal almost spelled the end of the Club.

Coach Bergman had a lot of good ideas to keep the Club alive and keep the fans interested in supporting the program. He got to buy new lights for the field. George agreed to have the Yankees play the Gator in an exhibition game. The first “Gator Baseball Yearbook” was printed in 1980.

Coach didn’t stop there. The Gators were the 1981 SEC Champions. So, Coach had special certificates made for all Club members for their support in helping the team win that championship. He also got guest speakers like umpire Hal Brady and USF Coach Rob Roberts. He started the annual Letterman’s Game inviting former baseball alumni.

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