Chipper Jones and the Gators...

[Juggernautz]

Originally Posted by gatorbait96

So I just got back from Atlanta and was thumbing through the program I got from the game and saw where Chipper Jones answered a question I asked him about the Gators. I have always heard he was a big fan but always wanted confirmation...Anyways here is a picture of my question and his answer.

Thanks for posting GB96.

[gatorbait96]

No problem guys. I started watching the Braves when I was around 8 or 9 and have followed Chippers career since day one. Even wore #10 in HS because of him. Always thought that it was cool that my favorite player was rumored to love the Gators just as much as I do. To run across that in the program after we got back blew my mind. Actually got a ball each game we went to. Kimbrel and Pendleton threw me a ball and Martin Prado signed one. Prado seems like the nicest guy on the team as far as interacting with the fans. Thinking of going back in Sept.

[jaxg8r]

Wasn't he commited to the U out of HS? I think he got on the UF bandwagon in the 90's.

[Gatorbob76]

Originally Posted by og8trz

I met Damon at a Flordia Georgia game a few years back when he was with the Red Sox. He was wearing UF gear. He signed with UF out of HS, but never came to school because he got a nice contract to go pro.

Yep, he is a Gator fan. I got to talk to Johnny early in his Royals career, 1997, and the first question I asked him was "Gators or Seminoles". Without hesitation he said "Gators". Said he liked the Florida coaches and definitely would have been a Gator if he had not signed a professional contract. We had a nice chat and he signed my son's little league jersey (he was a Damon fan and had the same number as Johnny)

Much as I would have liked to have seen him at UF, he obviously made the right decision. I hated to see the Royals lose him, but am happy he was able to go win a world series.

[RayGator]

Originally Posted by 74nole

If you grew up in the SE it's pretty hard to pull against the Braves..............

Well, I grew up in Miami so I have always been a Marlins and Rays fan. Except when I was a little kid back in the '50s and we had no teams in Florida. Then I was a Cincinnati Reds fan.

[74nole]

Originally Posted by RayGator

Well, I grew up in Miami so I have always been a Marlins and Rays fan. Except when I was a little kid back in the '50s and we had no teams in Florida. Then I was a Cincinnati Reds fan.

RG-

I understand completely. I grew up in SW Ga and until the Braves moved to Atlanta we always pulled for the Cardinals as St. Louis had a minor league team in Albany during the old Class D minor league days.

[orangeblueorangeblue]

The Braves (or Cubs) were the surrogate team du juor for most of the country through their ubiquitous cable affiliates. I couldn't stand the Braves growing up because in the mid-80s (when I was a kid, hunting desperately for baseball on TV), they were such an extremely boring and unlikeable team. Most people in the SE took them on by default, but I chose another team until we got the Marlins (and later Rays). Thank God we finally got a team in this state.

[GatorJeff]

Former Atlanta Brave Fred McGriff is a big Gator fan.

[JohnC1908]

I had a strict bedtime at 9:30 in elementary school which meant most Braves games ended by the time I was asleep. So unfortunately I chose the team who was on during the day, and that decision has probably taken about 10 years off my life.

[hogtowngator]

Originally Posted by jaxg8r

Wasn't he commited to the U out of HS? I think he got on the UF bandwagon in the 90's.

He did, but I heard it was for bargaining purposes. Chipper was going pro out of HS and Miami was THE college baseball team at the time. It helped his position somewhat. Not that he needed it as he was the number 1 pick.

Chipper's Dad is a huge Gator fan and that is where Chipper's allegiance to UF came from.