News and Updates

Coach Childers honored by former Tigers

This past Saturday, March 1st was a very special day at South Georgia State College. Over 20 former players, as well as a large group of family members and friends, came to honor former South Georgia College coach Terry Childers, who passed away this past November.

Childers was a native of Augusta, Ga. and was drafted by the New York Yankees out of Richmond Academy High School. He opted not to sign and instead played baseball at South Georgia College in 1966-67, where he was named team captain and MVP. Childers then attended Georgia Southern College to play baseball and later signed with the Chicago Cubs and played eight seasons of professional baseball with the Cubs, Expos and Brewers. After his playing days were over, Childers began a collegiate baseball coaching career.

Childers coached at South Georgia College in the 1970’s and led his 1978 team to the Region 17 NJCAA State Championship and, by doing so, was named Region 17 Coach of the Year. He later was named the first full-time baseball coach at Augusta College and went on to have a very successful coaching career. Childers also loved and served his country. He served in the Georgia Army National Guard 848th Engineer Company and retired with the rank of major. Following coaching and his military service, Childers became very successful in the insurance business.

During Saturday’s pregame festivities, the Tiger alumni presented Terry’s wife, Lynn, with a #16 replica jersey similar to the one Childers wore during his days at SGC.

The former players, family, and friends took the field as Michael “Stump” Brown, shortstop from Douglas on the ‘78 team, emceed the event and announced several presentations.  The former players, represented by Mr. Mike Johnson (a pitcher from Albany on the ‘78 team) presented South Georgia State College baseball coach Jeff Timothy a donation for the baseball program.

The former players then donated a commemorative banner to hang at Crider Field in honor of their former coach.  Following the banner presentation, each Childers family member – wife, Lynn; sons Terry Childers, Jr. of Augusta, Ga.; Scott Childers (Kristie) of Helena, Ala.; Jason Childers (Stephanie) of Douglas, Ga.; Matt Childers of Augusta, Ga.; and daughter Sally Murray (Calvin) of Atlanta, Ga. – was also presented a framed replica of the banner.

The ceremony ended with Childers’s five children throwing out the “first pitch” to cap off the special festivities.

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FIRST PHOTO: Several former South Georgia College Tigers present South Georgia State College with a banner to hang at Crider Field on the Douglas Campus to commemorate the late coach Terry Childers and his 1978 championship season and Coach of the Year award.

SECOND PHOTO: Mike Johnson, a pitcher from the 1978 championship team, presents SGSC baseball coach Jeff Timothy with a donation to support the baseball program in memory of coach Terry Childers.

THIRD PHOTO: Mrs. Lynn Childers, wife of the late Terry Childers, posed for a group picture with her children and grandchildren.

FOURTH PHOTO: SGSC President Dr. Virginia Carson stands with the Childers family after the pregame festivities.

FIFTH PHOTO: Coach Childers’s four sons and daughter each throw out a first pitch prior to the start of the game.