J.D. Drew has made Hahira and Lowndes County proud.

Born in Valdosta, raised in Hahira and a former star at Lowndes High School, Drew has called Lowndes County home his whole life. Now he is representing this county in the World Series.

Drew will try to become the first person from Lowndes County to win a World Series ring. The right fielder will also try to help the Boston Red Sox win their second World Series in four years. The Red Sox are playing the Cleveland Indians in the Series, which began last night.

Winning a ring would give his 2,500-resident hometown, which proudly proclaims itself the “Home of J.D., Tim and Stephen Drew” on signs entering the town, yet another reason to be proud.

Drew is only the second person from Lowndes County to play in a World Series. Valdosta native Ellis Clary played for the St. Louis Browns in the 1944 Series.

The 2007 regular season was a struggle for Drew. He’s admitted that. He batted .270 with 11 home runs and 64 runs batted in, well below the standards many people had set for him. He had been given a huge free agent contract, and was expected to be a franchise player. When he struggled, the boos came quick from the Fenway Park faithful.

But that changed last Saturday, in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series.

The Red Sox entered Game 6 on the brink of elimination, trailing the Cleveland Indians 3-2 in their best-of-seven series. They were facing Fausto Carmona, one of baseball’s best pitchers this year.

In the bottom of the first inning, Drew stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded, ripped into a Carmona pitch, and drilled it over the fence for a grand slam.

The grand slam gave the Red Sox a big jolt, and shifted the momentum to their favor. The Red Sox won that game 12-2, then dominated the decisive Game 7, 11-2. Now they’re playing in the World Series.

J.D. Drew has brought a lot of attention to the small town of Hahira. His success at Florida State and in the majors has led many people to pull out their maps and try to find the small town just east of I-75 in northern Lowndes County. Towns of 2,500 generally don’t attract much national attention, but Hahira can proudly say that four of its native sons have played in the major leagues (Drew, brothers Tim and Stephen, and former Seattle Mariners pitcher Aaron Taylor).

Drew was a standout at Lowndes High from 1991-94, earning All-Region honors and receiving a scholarship to Florida State.

He was an All-American at Florida State, and the first collegiate player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season. He also was just the third college player to have over 100 hits, 100 runs and 100 RBI in the same season. In 1997, he won basically every college baseball award. Florida State has retired his uniform number, No. 39.

He was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies No. 2 overall in the 1997 draft, but did not sign. The following year, he went back into the draft and was chosen No. 5 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals, and signed with them. He made it to the major leagues by the end of that season, and made his Cardinals debut in the same game where Mark McGwire hit his then-record 62nd home run.

He has struggled with injuries throughout his career, but when he’s been healthy, he’s been a pretty good player. In his two best seasons, he batted .305 with 31 home runs and 93 RBI for the 2004 Atlanta Braves and .323 with 27 homers and 73 RBI for the 2001 Cardinals.

Only four times in baseball history has a team hit four consecutive home runs. Drew has been a part of two of those. In 2006, Jeff Kent, Drew, Russell Martin and Marlon Anderson homered back-to-back-to-back-to-back for the Dodgers. In 2007, Manny Ramirez, Drew, Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek did the same thing.

Drew’s brother Stephen made it to the National League Championship Series with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but Arizona lost to the Rockies. Both hit home runs during the playoffs, becoming only the third set of brothers in major league history to do so.

Now Hahira, and all of Lowndes County, has the chance to cheer on its native son, as he plays on baseball’s biggest stage.