WE LOST A GOOD MAN
BY JOHN PEERY
THE APOPKA CHIEF, 30 JANUARY 2004
Many of you may have noticed in our obituaries last week a name that is very familiar to you. Others may have seen the name and not thought much about it.
But, when I heard that George "Jug" Anderson had died, it brought back many memories--some personal, some second-hand.
Jug Anderson was a simple, country man, but one of those gentlemen who was a man of his word.
He loved baseball and he loved Apopka. And, he was involved in both for many years.
The personal memories of Jug Anderson for me go back to my childhood, especially 1968, the first year that Little League was organized in Apopka. Up until then, we had plenty of baseball in Apopka that was, as far as I remember, just a community league run by the parents of the community.
That was fine for those of us playing baseball, but I do remember being excited when I heard that we would be playing official Little League baseball. Even back then, before all the television hoopla, we knew what playing Little League baseball was something special.
Jug Anderson and my dad, Jim Peery, were among those involved in Apopka Little League baseball from its earliest days.
In fact, a few years into Apopka Little League, my dad helped Jug with a team that went undefeated in the regular season. I'm not so sure that my brother Robert's participation on that team had much to do with its very successful season, but that is another story for another day.
The success came from Jug Anderson taking some talented players and molding them into a fine youth baseball team.
Jug continued to work with youth and baseball, taking an interest in Sonny Wise's teams at Apopka High School when his son Tim played on the team.
He continued that interest in the high school team long after Tim graduated from Apopka High.
I enjoyed talking with him many, many times though the years at Apopka High games, just picking his brain about baseball in general, and some of his exploits on the diamond specifically.
I told him about the time I read in an old edition of The Apopka Chief about his pitching both ends of a double-header for Apopka's town team in the old Orange-Lake League.
He talked with pride about that, as well as plenty of other exploits on the baseball field. I rather enjoyed those chats and think he did, too.
Several years ago, he moved to Tennessee to be near the rest of his family. His oldest son John, of course, has been a famous country music singer for many years and it's a business that employs many family members.
Jug and his wife Juanita moved to be near their children a few years ago, but I know he always had a lot of Apopka still in his heart.
The last time I saw Jug Anderson was in 1998, when the Apopka Little League celebrated its 30th anniversary. I spoke with him quite a bit that evening, and even then I could tell that he wasn't as sharp as he had been. I knew that the years were beginning to take their toll on this great man and baseball player, and it saddened me.
But, I also knew that his family would make sure he got the best care until it was time for him to go.
Well, Jug Anderson is gone now, and our world is a little less beautiful because of it. But, we all have our time.
I'll miss his love for the game of baseball and Apopka.
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