I met Joe in the fall of 1982. I had moved to Atlanta to attend seminary and was a bit homesick for Tuscaloosa. Joe was a year ahead of me and was cool, in a Matthew McConaughey, redneck sort of way. Joe grew up in Panama City and played college baseball. In fact, that’s how he lost his two front teeth.
He was behind the plate when the other team’s cleanup batter stepped into the batter’s box. Joe asked him if he had any nekkid pictures of his girlfriend, to which the batter said, “Of course not.”
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