20060320 - Lou Garcia is 76 and upon first appearance a couple of things are apparent. He still has an athletic walk and his grin is one that makes you feel there is no one in the world he would rather be with at that moment than you. "You gotta love him," Tony Saladino volunteer Ken Highsmith said. "How can you not?" And, how can you not respect him? Besides lettering at Hillsborough High from 1946-48 in baseball, football and basketball (point guard for '47 state champions), he lettered in baseball and basketball at the University of Florida, played minor league baseball for five years, taught school in Hillsborough county for 30 years, coached Robinson High to the state baseball title in 1971 and was a scout for the Yankees, Cubs and Kansas City Royals before retiring in 1992. Since 1996 he has been the Tony Saladino tournament scheduling director, a job he said he loves because, "I still love being involved in the game. I love the game." If you see an older guy with a smooth walk and a bright smile cruising around the University Tampa field this week, it just might be Lou Garcia. If his grin immediately makes you feel comfortable, you might try saying hello. If it's Lou, at that moment, he'll probably end up making you feel pretty good. (Photo by Brian Cassella, Text by Scott Purks / St. Petersburg Times)
¶ 11:09 PM
