Central Georgia notebook: Dublin/baseball HOF; FVSU mourns; new jobs; Perry golf
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
Dublin’s Beale is bound for a Hall of Fame
Former Dublin head baseball coach Chuck Beale is headed to the Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame.
Beale went 217-72-2 with the Irish from 1990-2001. He was also at Tift County before Dublin, and returned to Tift County and eventually was head coach there, too.
The Willingham/Southwest grad attended Middle Georgia College in its JC days, helping the team to a JC World Series trip. He moved on to Valdosta State and was part of a Division II College World Series team.
He cited the influence of Central Georgians Billy Henderson and Edgar Hatcher in his career.
Son Chuck Jr., is Johnson County’s head baseball coach, and son Rusty is an assistant at Cook.
Brother Billy is in the Dugout Club hall, having coached at Lincoln County and Jenkins County.
Beale is joined by Jeff Davis head coach Paul Glass, Allatoona head coach Keith Hansen, former Marist coach and Lovett athletics director Steve Franks, umpire Jack Martin and Starr’s Mill head coach Brent Moseley.
FVSU mourns death of former football player
Trahmad Wiggins, a member of Fort Valley State’s 2016 SIAC title team and 2017 runner-up, died on Monday in a riding accident.
Wiggins, 24, graduated from Randolph-Clay High, and his final season as a Wildcat was 2018. He was a grad student in FVSU’s MS biotechnology program, according to the school, graduating with a degree in agricultural, majoring in plant science.
He was set to graduate with the spring/summer class of 2020.
Former teammates and ex-Wildcats remembered him on social media.
Demonta Prather: “Waking up to Terrible news this morning, hurt my heart. Losing a teammate and player I also had the opportunity to coach my first year is Devastating. One of the most humble, talented, POSITIVE, and Smartest young man you could be around!
Dominique Burks: Leader by example did everything the right way!! Well respected by many!!” and “THIS ONE HURT 💔 I’M ALWAYS GONE LOVE HOW YOU CAME IN AND MADE AN IMPACT EVERYWHERE YOU WENT! REST IN PEACE LIL BRO!!”
Lorenzo Smothers: “LOST A TEAMMATE. More than that I lost a BROTHER . Never forget you bro I love you so much . THIS ONE CRAZY .
President Paul Jones mourned, as well.
"The entire FVSU community mourns the loss of Trahmad as a member of the Wildcat Family," he said in a statement released by the school. "From the football field to the graduate program, where he continued his studies working toward his MS in Biotechnology, Trahmad was known as a dedicated researcher and passionate athlete. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family in Cuthbert at this time."
There will be a public viewing at Perkins Funeral Home in Cuthbert form 3-8 p.m. on Friday, with the graveside service Saturday at 11 a.m. at Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Cuthbert.
There will also be a bike-ride at 4 p.m. Sunday in Cuthbert
Perry golfers hitting ‘em straight
Andrew Reyes and Payne Sells are having a good month.
Reyes was the boys division qualifier medalist at an American Junior Golf Association junior qualifier in Opelika, Ala. Earlier this week.
Reyes was in eighth place with a 144 after two rounds, and finished with a 3-under 69 round that included four birdies.
Sells shot a 73 and 70 to take third in the Macon Middle Georgia Amateur, won by Houston County alum Brent Hamm with a 139.
Ex-Charger and Bulldog Gilbert has a new job
Former Central and Georgia standout Tony Gilbert is back with Jacksonville.
Gilbert has had a mighty diversified coaching career since retiring from the NFL, and has returned to the NFL team where he spent most of his playing career.
Gilbert is an assistant linebackers coach with the Jags, and will work under Mark Collins, who spent several seasons in Atlanta after stops at Georgia and Georgia Southern, among other places.
Drafted by Arizona in 2003, Gilbert moved to Jacksonville, then joined the Falcons before returning to Jacksonville. His college coaching stops, in some form: Georgia Military College, Auburn, Georgia, North Carolina, and Central Florida.
He becomes he second Central Georgian in the Jags' room, joining Northside grad and veteran defensive tackle Abry Jones.
Former Westfield head FBC lands at Bethlehem Christian
Bruce Lane, who left Westfield after one season, has found another job, at Bethlehem Christian, located about 25 miles west of Athens.
Lane has more than 200 wins and trips to four state title games in assorted associations in different states.
The Knights went 1-9 last year in GISA 4-AAA.