By Kyle Coppola
Former MLB Star and Beloved Eustis Coach Chet Lemon Dies at 70
EUSTIS, Fla. (AP) — Chet Lemon, a three-time MLB All-Star, World Series champion, and revered high school baseball coach who led the Eustis Panthers to aan FHSAA State Championship in 2003, has died. He was 70.
Lemon, born in Jackson, Mississippi, and raised in Compton, California, made his Major League debut at just 19 years old. Over a career spanning more than two decades, he became one of baseball’s most dependable outfielders, still holding the record for most putouts in chances. A three-time All-Star, Lemon’s career was highlighted by his key role in helping the Detroit Tigers win the 1984 World Series.
After retiring from professional baseball, Lemon dedicated his life to youth development and community impact, founding The Big House, a premier sports facility in Central Florida. In a statement, The Big House said, “After his MLB career, Chet started The Big House which was not only a vision but a passion that Chet was able to make a reality. Chet’s dream of building The Big House made and continues to make tremendous impacts on young athletes’ lives in Central Florida and beyond.”
(Lemon was recently honored at Tiger Stadium last year as part of the 40th anniversary of the 1984 World Series team.)
In 2003, Lemon led the Eustis High School baseball team to an FHSAA State Championship. Former players and community members remember him as a leader who not only taught the game of baseball but helped shape the lives of countless young men.
“While he was proud of his career, he took great pride in his life after baseball,” the statement continued. “There, he had an opportunity to train and develop multiple young men, many of whom went on to become professional baseball players themselves, with successful careers not only in baseball but in other professions.”
(Lemon was a great baseball player no doubt, but it was his contributions off the field that made such a lasting impact and will continue to do so with The Big House.)
Beyond the baseball diamond, Lemon was devoted to his family. He found fulfillment in supporting his children and building a life with his wife, Gigi.
Memorial arrangements have not yet been announced.
While Chet Lemon may be gone physically, his spirit of the game, generosity, and commitment to young athletes will continue to inspire generations to come.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
