In memory of Frog.
That's the extra motivation for the Chattanooga Legends 75-over men's softball team that will begin play Thursday in Houston in the National Senior Games.
A few of the players who helped the Legends earn their national berth in the state games last July in Franklin, Tenn., can't make the trip because of ailments or other reasons, but Ray "Frog" Fowler won't be there because he died this spring.
The Legends will be wearing him on their sleeves, though, as they continue through the summer with the 2011 state and the Heartland nationals. Player-coach Jack Gibson is having uniform patches made that say "Frog's Team."
"Frog played with us for years and years and years," Gibson said. "The last few years it was hard for him to run because his knees had got so bad, but he was our catcher when we won the state last year.
"He was really an inspiration to all of us because of his drive and determination to play good ball."
Shag Phelps, who knew Fowler since they played recreation baseball against each other in Dalton as eighth-graders, noted that Frog used to be a center fielder and played collegiately for West Georgia and Lincoln Memorial.
"He was just a real nice fellow, easy to get along with and telling jokes," Phelps said. "He brought a lot of enjoyment to us - and he was a real good ballplayer."
The Legends include Gibson and Henry Jacks from Chattanooga, Earl Williams from Ooltewah, George "Burl" Dill from Harrison, Fred Kilby from Signal Mountain, Don Grimes from Rossville, Phelps and Emory White also from northwest Georgia and Harold Jennings, Bill Fallin and Dan Dupree from Hixson. Another local player added this year is Larry Davis, who like Jacks also is playing basketball in the National Games.
And from not too far away is Shelbyville's Ken Crowell, who is on the board of directors of the National Senior Games.
The team nickname is not much of an exaggeration, with several of the players having been All-Americans or inducted into halls of fame, and they certainly played like legends at the state games last summer. They went 4-0 with a 77-17 run differential.
Then the Legends split up and with a few younger players won two divisions, the 70-plus major and AAA, at the Heartland Softball Association's national senior tournament last August at Chattanooga's Summit of Softball.
But they emphasize that they're a team, not a collection of stars.
"Most of these guys I didn't know before I played with them, but we really enjoy each other," said Jennings, who played fastpitch for several Johnny Moon teams in Atlanta in the 1950s and early '60s and got into slowpitch years after he moved to the Chattanooga area.
Jennings already has played in one Senior Nationals in Louisville, but Fallin is among the first-timers.
"I'm real excited. I really am," he said. "It's an honor and a privilege."
He and Jennings agreed that being healthy enough to play in their late 70s is a reason to "praise the Lord every day."
From the 2010 group, Bill Anderson now has health problems and Frank Martera moved back to New York.
As the Legends go to Houston, they will have Tom Sells from Johnson City and Joe Sykes and Bo Deaton from Clarksville and Jackson, Tenn. Through Crowell's contacts, the Legends picked up James Young from Maryland; his team won its state title but decided not to go to Houston.
"Sykes, Deaton and Young have been playing in leagues in their area," Gibson said, "and the rest of us have been practicing twice a week."
That went to Monday through Friday this week.
Gibson figured a team budget for seven days in Houston at about $15,000, not counting food, and he noted that some companies had made welcome contributions. The Legends got a case of Icy Hot product from Chattem chief Zan Guerry.
"We will certainly need the Icy Hot, and it's very much appreciated," Gibson said.