The 2023 Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth Alumni Golf Tournament and Hall-of-Fame Induction Banquet was held on Monday, October 30, 2023 at the Summerbrooke Golf Club.

The inductees were: Aaron Gerteisen, Brad Parker, Mackey Sasser, and Harvey Sweeney.

The 2022 Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth Alumni Golf Tournament and Hall-of-Fame Induction Banquet was held on Monday, October 24, 2022 at the Summerbrooke Golf Club.

The inductees were: Mike Harrison, Brandon Reichert, and Anthony Robinson.

The 2021 Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth Alumni Golf Tournament and Hall-of-Fame Induction Banquet was held on Monday, October 1, 2021 at the Summerbrooke Golf Club.

The inductees were: Sean Gilliam, Bryan Henry, Michael Hyde, and Brett Richardson.

The 2020 Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth Alumni Golf Tournament and Hall-of-Fame Induction Banquet was held on Monday, October 12, 2020 at the Summerbrooke Golf Club.

The inductees were Garrett Blanton and Tom Brown.

Garrett Blanton and his family.

Garrett Blanton was a Babe Ruth all-star all three years and was awarded the prestigious Kirwin-Elliott Award at the end of his 13-year-old season.  Garrett continued to excel in baseball at Lincoln High School and received a scholarship to play for Florida State University.  He was drafted in 1991 by the St. Louis Cardinals and played in their farm system for four years.  After baseball, he returned to Tallahassee and earned his Master’s Degree in Applied American Politics and Policy.  Garrett’s dad, Edwin served as Babe Ruth president.  His son, Garrett, continued the family tradition of playing Babe Ruth baseball. 

Palmer Williams accepted the HOF honor on behalf of Tom Brown.

Thomas Irving Brown, Jr., better known as Tom Brown, coached Tallahassee Babe Ruth Baseball from its inception in 1953 until his death in 1973. Coach Brown provided direction and helped develop many of the leaders who have guided our city and our Babe Ruth program.  He served our community in many ways, including on the Leon County Commission and his work at local schools and youth programs.  His service was so valuable to our community that Tom Brown Park was dedicated in his honor in 1977.

The 2019 Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth Alumni Golf Tournament and Hall-of-Fame Induction Banquet was held on Monday, September 23, 2019 at the Summerbrooke Golf Club.

The inductees were BillieAnne Gay, John Hollenbeck, and Mike Martin Jr.

The 2018 Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth Alumni Golf Tournament and Hall-of-Fame Induction Banquet was held on Monday, September 10, 2018 at Summerbrooke Golf Club.

The inductees were David Browning, Link Jarrett Jr., and Loren Levy

The 2016 Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth Alumni Golf Tournament and Hall-of-Fame Induction Banquet was held on Friday, November 25, 2016 at Tom Brown Park.

The inductees were Richard Jackson, Reggie Jefferson, Paul Mauck Sr., Cindy Meredith, Dean Palmer, David Ross, and John Wasdin

Richard Jackson

There may not be a more respected name in Tallahassee baseball than Richard Jackson.

Jackson was a long-time volunteer pitching coach in the Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth League and at Florida High.

During his tenure, the 13U Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth All-Star team won the 1999 World Series that was held in Tallahassee for the first time.

At Florida High, Jackson helped the Seminoles capture the 1986 state title.

That team featured Jackson’s son, Hardy, a hard-throwing pitcher, and third baseman Dean Palmer.

Over the years, Jackson also coached numerous players who reached professional baseball and played in the major leagues, including fellow Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth 2016 Hall of Fame inductees Dean Palmer, David Ross and John Wasdin.

Jackson, who passed way at the age of 75 in 2013, is fondly remembered by many people in and outside of baseball.

He was a graduate of Leon High (1955) and Florida State (1960).

Jackson joined the Florida National Guard, where he rose to the rank of 1st Lieutenant.

After completing his military active duty, he returned to Tallahassee to join his family business, Jackson-Cook Welding and Machine Shop

In 1991, Jackson in partnership with Ed Murray, formed TALCOR Commercial Real Estate Service, Inc. where he worked until his retirement in 2006.

Jackson and Murray laid the foundation for what would become one of the most successful commercial real estate companies locally.

Following his retirement, Jackson realized his lifelong dream of owning and operating a ranch in South Texas.

In conjunction with his son Hardy, Campos Viejos “Old Fields” named for Tallahassee, became a reality where hunters, including many from the North Florida area, have enjoyed hunting native, trophy whitetail deer.

Led by Richard, the Jackson family left a lasting impact on Tallahassee and Havana baseball.

Brother Dennett was a respected youth pitching coach, and the duo’s children – Hardy, Jason and Brad – also have been involved in the game. Jason – Richard’s nephew — is currently the associate head coach/pitching coach at Florida Atlantic University.

In and out of baseball, Richard Jackson always lived the Golden Rule:

“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them.” Matthew 7:12.

Reggie Jefferson

Reggie Jefferson’s path in baseball has led him to the field as a player to the dugout as a coach to office boardrooms as a player agent.

And it should be no surprise that Jefferson has enjoyed success each step of the way.

Jefferson was a member of the Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth All-Star team that captured the 1984 World Series, giving the organization – and the city of Tallahassee – its first national title in youth baseball.

The left-handed hitting Jefferson was a standout at Lincoln High School, where he was a three-sport star in baseball, football and basketball.

Jefferson’s future was in baseball, where he was drafted in the third round of the MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds out of high school in 1986.

Known for his sweet swing and versatility in the field, where he played first base and in the outfield, Jefferson made his big-league debut in 1991 at the age of 22.

He collected his first major league hit on May 19, 1991 – a home run off of San Diego’s Andy Benes.

Jefferson spent nine seasons in the Major Leagues, playing for four different teams – Cincinnati, Cleveland, Seattle and Boston.

He enjoyed one of his finest seasons in 1996, when he batted .347 with 19 home runs and 74 RBI  – all career highs – with the Boston Red Sox.

Jefferson spent five seasons in Boston, and he finished his major league career batting .300 with 72 home runs and 300 RBI in 680 career games.

In 2000, Jefferson played in Japan with the Seibu Lions, hitting .268 with 10 home runs and 68 RBI.

After retiring from professional baseball in 2001, Jefferson earned a degree in business administration at the University of South Florida in Tampa in 2003.

Jefferson’s career path remained in baseball, however.

He served as a guest instructor at the Tampa Bay Devil Rays spring training camp in 2004,

During the 2005 season, Jefferson was the Triple-A hitting instructor for the Albuquerque Isotopes in the Florida Marlins organization.

In that season, the Isotopes set franchise records at the time in home runs, run, hits an RBI.

Jefferson also coached at USF under Eddie Cardieri in 2006.

Jefferson, 48, who resides in Tampa with wife Kay and their four children, is a certified MLB player agent.

He is director of East Coast Operations for Reynolds Sports Management.

Paul Mauck

Paul L. Mauck Sr. is synonymous with Tallahassee Babe Ruth baseball.

Mauck Sr.’s long and successful relationship with the organization spanned nearly three decades. It started when he filled in as head coach for his son’s Babe Ruth All-Star team in 1971. He remained with the league during some of its most successful years and was considered one of its most respected coaches and leaders.

Through the years he coached several Babe Ruth All-Star teams through the rigorous area, state and regional tournaments. Mauck Sr.-coached teams made World Series appearances in 1984 (Niles, Michigan), 1988 (Lebanon, Missouri) and 1998 (Pine Bluff, Arkansas).

The 1984 team won the Babe Ruth 13-15 year-old World Series, a first for Tallahassee youth baseball. He retired from youth coaching after his 1998 team placed third in the World Series.

Born in 1929 in Colome, South Dakota, Mauck Sr. grew up in rural South Dakota as a farmer’s son and excelled during his teenage years as a Golden Glove boxer. He enlisted with the United States Marine Corp at a young age was a 22-year veteran, completing tours in South Korea and Vietnam during wartime engagements.

His passion for sports introduced him to fastpitch softball through the Marine Corp and he soon started to umpire on his off-duty time while stationed in Southern California. After being transferred to Tallahassee in 1964, Mauck Sr. umpired slowpitch softball at Messer Park. Additionally, he umpired local high school and Florida State baseball games through the 1960s and into the 1980s.

Mauck Sr. was a kind, gentle man and always helped others through his ability as ‘Mr. Fix It’ by virtue of his military mechanic background and his compassionate desire to lead youth baseball programs. Tallahassee Babe Ruth League baseball honored Mauck Sr. after his death in 2000 by naming its end-of-league season tournament after him.

Mauck Sr. loved all sports but he especially loved baseball and relished working with young players and developing and mentoring their character and techniques. He was fortunate and blessed to have worked with hundreds of special volunteers, parents, administrators, coaches and players who developed and shared his desire to improve baseball in the greater Tallahassee area.

Cindy Meredith

Cindy Meredith has served Tallahassee Babe Ruth for more than 30 years and was honored as a inductee to the inaugural hall-of-fame class.

Dean Palmer

Dean Palmer is one of the most recognizable names in Tallahassee baseball circles.

He helped make history as a member of the 1984 Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth All-Star team that won the organization’s first World Series.

It also represented Tallahassee’s first national title in youth baseball.

The power-slugging third baseball starred at Florida High and was a third-round selection in the 1986 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers.

Former Florida High baseball coach Jeff Hogan remembers the first time he watched Palmer hit.

“The ball made a totally different sound coming off the bat,” Hogan told the Tallahassee Democrat.

“It was just different. When he hit the ball solid, there are still so many stories about how hard and far he hit it.”

Palmer, a right-handed hitter, developed into one of the American League top power hitters during his professional  career that spanned 14 seasons with the Rangers, Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals.

He saw his first major league action in 1989, playing in 16 games during the season’s final month.

Palmer was a lifetime .251 hitter with 275 career home runs and 849 RBI when he retired following the 2003 season.

He was also a two-time Silver Slugger winner and an All-Star selection in 1998, when he hit 34 home runs and knocked  in a career-high 119 runs with the Royals.

In 1992, Palmer became the first Texas ballplayer to ever homer in the first three games of a season, a feat that was later matched in 2011 by Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz.

With 38 home runs in 1996, Palmer, at that time, became just the fourth third baseman in American League history to reach that total, joining Harmon Killebrew, Al Rosen and Jim Thome.

Palmer played in 1,357 career games.

Palmer, who has twin sons and resides in Tallahassee, has remained in baseball as a coach.

He has volunteered at the youth level, served as an assistant coach at Tallahassee Community College and has been a special hitting instructor for the San Diego Padres in spring training.

Palmer’s parents, George and Sybil, still reside in Tallahassee.

Younger brother David, who played football at Florida State, is an orthopedic surgeon in Birmingham, Alabama.

David Ross

Alumni of Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth Baseball have pursued successful professional careers in a variety of fields.

David Ross is one of those players.

And the ending to his 15-year career in the major leagues could not have been scripted any better if it had been hand-written in Hollywood.

The Chicago Cubs catcher and former Florida High standout won his second World Series ring when the Chicago Cubs beat the Cleveland Indians 8-7 in a memorable Game 7 to close out the 2016 season.

It was the organization’s first World Series title in 108 years.

The 39-year-old Ross also became the oldest player in major-league history to hit a home run in a winner-take-all World Series game when he connected on solo shot in the sixth inning of Game 7.

When the game ended, Ross climbed over the dugout railing and rushed on the field for a celebration that erased more than a century of disappointment for the organization and Cubs fans.

Following the Series, Ross and the team were honored in a parade and rally through downtown Chicago that attracted an estimated five million fans.

And before Ross and his family could return to their Tallahassee home, David was scheduled for guest appearances on “Saturday Night Live” and “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”

Ross helped the Boston Red Sox win a World Series title in 2013, but he could have never envisioned a better ending to his professional career than what transpired over his final two seasons in Chicago.

The popular player enjoyed a year-long retirement party with the Cubs in 2016, and was nicknamed “Grandpa Rossy” by his young teammates during spring training.

There was a T-shirt for sale that depicted the catchy phrase and reminded Ross of his impending retirement.

Ross also fulfilled a promise he made to himself – making sure he savored all the moments during his last year, writing down his thoughts in a diary he started in spring training.

For Ross, it was a season of Disney World highlights and memories.

He caught his first no-hitter, knocked in his 300^th career run and hit his 100^th career home run.

At home games at Wrigley Fields, fans serenaded him with his walkup song, “Forever Young” or pleaded for “One More Year.”

And during the Cubs’ final game at Wrigley Field in 2016, in Game 5 of the World Series, singer Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam dedicated the ceremonial “Take Me Out To the Ball Game” during the seventh-inning stretch to Ross.

Ross played with seven different organizations in the major leagues, compiling 2,280 career at-bats over 883 games. He finished with a career batting average of .229 with 106 home runs and 314 RBI.

He’s also one of the few players to have won World Series titles in college and major-league baseball.

Statistics and numbers aside, intangibles played an important role in Ross’ success.

Known as an outstanding defensive catcher and leader, his Cubs teammates credited Ross with being the most valuable piece to their World Series puzzle.

During an on-the-field interview following Game 7 in Cleveland, Ross’ teammates came from behind him, lifted him on their shoulders and carried him off the field as a World Series champion.

And into retirement in style.

Ross, who resides in Tallahassee, is married to Hyla, and the couple has three children – Landri, Cole and Harper.

John Wasdin

ohn Wasdin has been successful in every step of his baseball journey.

He was on the Tallahassee-Leon Babe Ruth baseball team that appeared in the 1988 World Series.

Wasdin also used TLBR as a springboard to a successful career in  baseball.

Born in Tallahassee, Wasdin attended Godby High and also played for the American Legion Post 13 teams. Drafted in the 41^st round of the 1990 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees out of high school, Wasdin instead opted to attend hometown Florida State.

It proved to be the right decision.

The right-handed pitcher went 16-4 with a 3.17 ERA and 229 strikeouts in 193.1 innings pitched over three seasons. Following his junior season, Wasdin was selected 25^th overall in the first round of the 1993 MLB Draft by the Oakland Athletics.

Wasdin advanced to the Major Leagues quickly. He made his debut at the age of 23 on Aug. 24, 1995, pitching 6.2 innings in relief for the A’s against the Boston Red Sox.

Wasdin enjoyed a productive and lengthy professional career that spanned 17 years.

He played for 13 different minor-league teams, going 75-39 with a 3.79 ERA, 878 strikeouts, and 229 walks in 1,059 innings pitched. 

Wasdin played for seven Major League teams — Oakland A’s, Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies, Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers and the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was 39-39 with a 5.28 ERA, 527 strikeouts and 252 walks in 793.1 innings pitched.  Wasdin also played in Japan in 2002 with the Tokyo Yomouri Giants and in 2009 with the Seibu Lions.

Wasdin’s  most notable outing of his career came on April 7,2003, as a member of the Triple-A Nashville Sounds  in the Pirates organization.

Wasdin became the first player in Nashville Sounds history to pitch a perfect game. It was only the second nine-inning complete perfect game in the 100-year history of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. Wasdin threw 100 pitches, 76 for strikes with 15 strikeouts.

Wasdin has remained in professional baseball following his retirement as a player in 2009 at age 37.

He is currently a minor-league pitching coach with the Oakland A’s. During his first six seasons with the organization,  Wasdin’s pitching staffs have been in the league’s top-3 in ERA and twice as the league leader in ERA.  His teams also have made the playoffs every year and won the Double-A Texas League Championship in back-to-back years (2015-2016).

Wasdin lives in Jacksonville, Florida, with his wife of 22 years Darlene and their three daughters Avery (18) , Cassidy (17) and Braley (15).