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A Beloved Coach Remembered

Photo supplied by Stacey Lowe

Stacey Lowe, center, with her daughter Alexis, 5 and son, Cody, 9 stand in front of the sign marking the naming of the team field after Jim Lowe, Little League coach who died last month at age 44.

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By LIZ BLEAU, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 5, 2007

Updated: 12/03/2007 10:33 pm

LITHIA - In the list of life's priorities, baseball ranked high with Jim Lowe, right up there with family and country.

Lowe, a lieutenant colonel in the Army serving at MacDill Air Force Base, died unexpectedly last month of a heart attack at age 44.

Lowe was a coach for the Tigers, one of the Pinecrest Little League teams, and for a T-ball team. His son Cody, 9, and daughter Alexis, 5, were members of those teams.

His wife, Stacey, 39, said her husband loved baseball and played through college. When he had children, he looked forward to becoming a coach.

Lowe died Nov. 3; the Tigers' last game of the winter season was scheduled for the following Monday. The game was postponed so Cody Lowe would not have to miss it. He was with his family attending memorial services at MacDill in Tampa and in Logan, W.Va., his father's hometown.

"That last game was wonderful," Stacey Lowe said. "People showed up to watch Cody play, and then we learned they were naming a field after Jim; that was a wonderful surprise."

Walking to the baseball field for the game with her son, he told his mom he wanted to win the game for his dad.

"He was the first batter; he scored a base hit and then stole second, third and made it home," she said.

Cody ended the game as Most Valuable Player and with the team ball.

As the family approached the field, a large temporary sign declaring the Tigers' field as Jim Lowe Field greeted them. It had been signed by all the players and coaches.

"I knew my husband was wonderful," Stacey Lowe said, "but it was so great to see the outpouring of sympathy and love from people here and from people I had not talked to in years. It says so much about him as a person."

After the last game, the snacks for the team were two of Jim Lowe's favorites - MoonPies and RC Cola.

Susan Lewis, whose son, Joshua, 10, played on the Tigers, said the things she appreciated most about Jim Lowe was his love of baseball and his desire to share that with the team.

Shortly before he died, Lowe gave Joshua the team ball after a game, and told Susan Lewis that he wished more of his players were like Joshua because the youngster just loves to play the game.

"Jim was so low-key, and I guess because of his military service, he didn't sweat the small stuff," she said. "He would remind you this was Little League, that it wasn't the war; it put everything in perspective. That's what I loved about him."

Assistant coach Jeff Stupp said for Lowe, the biggest thing was for the kids to learn about baseball.

"And he wanted the kids to have fun," he said.

"Jim wouldn't give the signal to a player if it was time for a steal," Stupp said, "because he wanted them to know the game and understand for themselves when it was time. He was a tough coach, in a good way."

Lowe knew how to have fun, too, Stupp said. He loved spending time with his family, and he also loved his Harley-Davidson and his Corvette.

Pinecrest Little League is expected to vote this month on placing a permanent sign on the field, naming it in honor of Lowe.

Reporter Liz Bleau can be reached at (813) 865-1557 or lbleau@tampatrib.com.

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