MARIANNA Fla. (WMBB) – Chipola Head Baseball Coach Jeff Johnson sat down Monday afternoon to remember the life of recently passed Indians’ baseball player, Evan Ames. According to Coach Johnson, Ames, who turned 20-years-old in June, was found dead in his home bedroom in Fort Myers on Friday, July 7. “Any time you lose one […]
MARIANNA Fla. (WMBB) – Chipola Head Baseball Coach Jeff Johnson sat down Monday afternoon to remember the life of recently passed Indians’ baseball player, Evan Ames.
According to Coach Johnson, Ames, who turned 20-years-old in June, was found dead in his home bedroom in Fort Myers on Friday, July 7.
“Any time you lose one of your one of your kids, and I call them my kids because they are, you know, it hurts you,” Johnson said.
A direct cause of death was not stated to Coach Johnson by Evan’s father.
“As a coach, that’s what you pride yourself in, you got 25 to 30 sons every year,” Johnson said. And, you know, when you lose one of them, it takes part of your heart out as well. And Evan was just a great, great young man. He represented our school very well.”
The first-baseman played one season with Chipola, injuring his left arm in the fall which put a strain on his expected production during the spring season.
Ames was signed by Georgia State, a division one program he was set to join in Atlanta this fall. Coach Johnson said there was a chance Ames was selected in this week’s MLB Draft.
“He was getting a little attention from a couple of the pro teams,” Johnson said. “And the draft started last night (Sunday), I don’t know if that worked out for him, but that was his lifelong dream.”
While just spending one season with Chipola, Coach John said he left a lasting impression on the program that will not be forgotten.
“He always had a smile on his face, he was a good young man, very respectful,” Johnson said. The thing you remember the most about him sitting here in my office looking out the outfield field hitting a lot of balls on that building over there and batting practice. But, you know, just being a great kid and a stand-up individual and always doing things the right way.”
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