A well-known voice at Hamilton County High School (HCHS) baseball games will be honored on Friday, Feb. 17, when the new baseball field will be named the Frederick T. Mickler Baseball Field. At 6 p.m. during the break between the junior varsity and varsity games, Superintendent Harry Pennington and the school board will present a plaque to Dr. Mickler recognizing his service and dedication to the school system and the community.

Dr. Mickler has a long history of involvement with school sports in Hamilton County. He has served as the doctor for the HCHS Trojans football team since 1958, when he began practicing medicine in Jasper.

In 1979, Rex Mitchell, who was head baseball coach, asked Dr. Mickler to announce the Trojans baseball games. Now more than 25 years later Dr. Mickler is the official “Voice of Trojan Baseball.”

Everyone who attends a home Trojan baseball game eagerly joins Dr. Mickler as he leads a rousing rendition of “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” in the middle of the fifth inning.

Over the years, Dr. Mickler has supported the youth of our community, especially those in the HCHS football and baseball programs. He has hosted many fundraising events and donated his own money to promote athletics at HCHS.

Dr. Mickler was born and raised in Madison, Fla. He graduated as valedictorian of his class in 1942 and received the Citizenship Cup in his senior year. While in high school, he lettered in baseball two years, in football three years and in basketball four years. During his senior year he was team captain for all three teams.

After studying pre-med at Vanderbilt University for two years, he joined the Unites States Army/Air Force in July of 1943. During his three years of military service, he spent ten months overseas in Pacific Theater Operations and achieved the rank of First Lieutenant on a B24 bombardier.

In 1947, Dr. Mickler married Beverly Patterson in Monticello, Fla. They have six children – Rusty, Sam, Duchess, Ben, Bill and Jonathan. They also have 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Dr. Mickler graduated from Emory University School of Medicine in 1956. He began practicing medicine in Jasper in 1958 and became the “family doctor” for several generations of patients. While treating everything from colds to broken bones, he also found the time to deliver 989 babies.

Although Dr. Mickler retired as a family doctor in 2002, he continues serving as the football team doctor and as the announcer for the baseball team.