The life of Gamecock baseball color analyst Tommy Moody celebrated at Founders Park
It’s hard to fully capture how moving of a ceremony it was at Founders Park on Monday as the life of Thomas Franklin “Tommy” Moody Jr. was celebrated.
Hundreds made their way into South Carolina’s ballpark to pay their respect to the legendary broadcast who had done color for Gamecocks baseball since 2000. That included not only friends and family members of Tommy’s but many who never even had a chance to meet him in-person. Because for so many, Moody had this ability to connect with you through the airwaves in a way that only he could.
While Moody wasn’t psychically at Founders Park, a place that was a second home to him, his spirit and voice were. The service began with a video tribute on the left field digital board of Moody narrating ‘Gamecock Baseball.’ His voice echoing from wall to wall, with memories of some of South Carolina baseball’s biggest moments.
Following the video tribute, Director of Athletics Ray Tanner and former Gamecock baseball coach Bobby Richardson took to the stage to share some remarks about Moody. As was a common theme on Monday, they spotlighted how selfless Tommy was and how big his heart always remained.
“Quite often I would engage with him in conversation before games and road trips during the week about our team and what he was seeing from his perspective because he knew,” said Tanner. “He played and he lived it day-to-day. If I criticized the player in conversation he would quickly remind me of the positive play that a young man had made prior to the game or the week before. Perspective and selflessness were true gifts that Tommy Moody brought us.”
A list of former co-workers including Jay Phillips of 107.5 the Game and former USC baseball play-by-play announcers Andy Demetra and Derek Scott followed as they shared some of their fondest memories of Moody. Scott also made it a point to share one of the ways he hopes South Carolina will honor him.
“If Michael Roth has his name on a bullpen (at Founders Park) I would like to think that radio booth can have Tommy Moody’s name of it sooner than later,” said Scott. “I genuinely think he’s the nicest person I ever knew.”
His friends Cal Seawell and Arthur Suggs closed out the ceremony sharing some stories that dated back to Tommy’s days as a multi-sports athlete in the late 1960s at AC Flora High School.
“I always looked up to Tommy,” said Suggs. “I was several years younger than him but I went to Flora too… He was very passionate about Gamecock sports, which I was also… Tommy was a special guy and everybody in here knows it. I’m so proud to call him my friend and I’ll miss him greatly.”
Moody played baseball on scholarship at South Carolina in the early 1970s, receiving a degree in marketing in 1975. He spent 28 years working for General Mills in Charleston and Columbia.
In addition to his time playing for the Gamecocks, Moody previously served as the president of the University of South Carolina Association of Lettermen in 1992. He also served as the USC Athletic Hall of Fame chairman.
He hosted “The Tommy Moody Show,” self described as “a trip down memory lane every week.” The show aired Monday at 6 p.m. ET and Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.
Tommy is survived by his daughters Kasey Elizabeth Moody and Jamie Allyson Moody (Gabriel Hargett), grandsons Weston DeVan Hargett and Anderson Thomas Hargett, his sister Linda Moody, and the mother of his children, Jan Moody. He is also survived by his nephew Bobby Long (Sarah) and their children Claire and Colleen Long and his close friend Bonnie Boland. Tommy was predeceased by his parents and his sister and brother-in-law, Gloria and Bob Long.
