Jacksonville State University Athletics

Little All-America outfielder Larry Foster (’73) hit 41 career home runs and in the process, established himself as one of the premier sluggers in JSU history. The hitting of the former Etowah County High School standout helped pave the way for Jacksonville’s first GSC and NCAA region titles and a berth in the college world series in 1973 as well as NAIA playoff spots in 1971 and ’72. Foster also hit for average. He compiled a record .384 career batting average, including .446 seasons in both 1971 and ‘73. Foster’s professional baseball career included stints with the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals. He was voted most valuable player in both the Rookie League (Sarasota) and AA Southern League (Knoxville). He won the Southern League batting title in 1976 with a .311 average and just missed taking the triple crown. After professional baseball, Foster took a coaching position at Etowah County. His team won the state 5A baseball title in 2985.