User:EMG-USMC/sandbox



Rob Rabb was born in Saint Petersburg, Florida on December 13th, 1968. He is a former Baseball player and current sports enthusiast. He had a robust baseball career in grade school and college. Although short-lived, his time playing ball in school was an enriching experience, both for himself and for his family. Currently, he is a devoted husband, father, and provider. His passion for baseball and sports remains intact. Throughout the years he has played in several softball leagues and has been proactive in helping the next generation of baseball players reach their potential. As a father, he was engaged in his sons baseball careers. As an active member of his local community he has coached or assisted in youth baseball programs. Rob is a self-professed Christian. His political views are primarily conservative and Republican.

Little League
Rob began playing baseball at the age of 9 for the Police Pistols at the Fossil Park Little league in 1978. When he first arrived, he was nervous. The other boys on the team had been playing since kindergarten. They teased him because he was new and left handed. However, he instantly excelled at the sport. To the surprise and amazement of his coaches, during his first year of baseball he played every position, and out-batted the entire team. Every year he made the All-Star team, and went to State finals on numerous occasions. Throughout elementary and middle school, he continued to play for the Fossil Park Little league. At 13 he was accepted onto American Legion team. He played there from 1981-1982. American Legion only accepts the most elite players with the highest potential. By the time he had joined the team he had settled into positions that he played best; first base and outfield. While playing with American legion he maintained a batting average of .600. and went on to win the league championship.



High School
His freshman and Sophomore year attended Northeast High School and played baseball there. As a walk on freshman he was immediately accepted into the varsity program. During his Junior year of high school, he moved with his parents from Saint Petersburg, Florida to Eatonton, Georgia and attended Gatewood Academy. He continued his baseball career there. The school was small and the baseball program was not as advanced as Northeast high, so he quickly made a name for himself. By his senior year, he had gained notoriety. He had become a local celebrity; not only to the students of Gatewood, but also to the residents of Eatonton. That year he picked up football, a sport he had never played competitively before. He did this to the behest of the baseball coaching staff, who were worried that he might sustain an injury, but he wasn’t deterred. Because he was one of their star players, there wasn’t much they could do to stop him. While on the football team, he mostly played defense and special teams, preferring to do the hitting instead of being hit. When swooning girls eyed him in the halls of Eatonton Academy he would say,” I’m might be number 85 in the field, baby, but number 1 in your heart.” During the baseball season he led the team at Gatewood in hitting, batting over .500 and hitting 15 home runs. He was named to the Region 3AA GISA All Region baseball team. That year, as he played across the country, he shocked family members, as well as others in attendance with his exceptional athleticism, indomitable spirit and motivating leadership qualities. Unfortunately, scouts were not as prevalent in Eatonton, so his talent went largely unseen by scouts looking for prospects. He Graduated from Gatewood Academy in 1987.

College
After graduating, Rob enrolled in Georgia Southern College (Later renamed Georgia Southern University) where he promptly joined the baseball program, and the fraternity Sigma Nu. The head coach at the time was Jack Stallings, an inductee to the College Baseball Hall of Fame. Although the program there was good and provided opportunity, his priorities began to change as he shifted the focus of his life. He left the baseball team after his freshman year and began focusing on his field of study. However, he began playing softball through his fraternity. While at GSU he met Jan Gates, whom he dated the remainder of his time in college. In 1993 he graduated with BBA in Marketing, and in 1994 Rob and Jan were married. They started a family together, and had four kids; Hunter, Timberlyn, Kade and Mika.

From College till Present
After college Rob continued to play ball any way he could, it was in his blood. His uncle, Rick Stanton, was a law enforcement officer with the Tampa Police Department, and regularly played in the department’s softball league. Recognizing Rob’s obvious talent, he was admitted onto the team, where he played for years. Rob has also been very active in coaching. His sons Hunter and Kade also played baseball and he coached both of their teams from elementary school through high school. Rob currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia. He regularly attends games at Georgia Southern University with his Sigma Nu brothers to cheer on the Eagles. Once he was asked to leave a game by security for throwing popcorn at an opposing fan. He claimed it was all in good fun, but the opposing fan felt accosted and insisted that he be removed, to which Rob reluctantly conceded. Later that week, upon hearing what happened, the coach of the Eagles proclaimed, “the only crime he committed was that he didn’t throw his drink as well!” and promptly had his season tickets upgraded from ‘nosebleeds’ to press box seats. While the story may be humorous, the truth is that playing ball in “Eagle country,” is no laughing matter. For the past 20 years Rob has been working for K12 Education Products in the sales department. He is a grandfather now. Recognizing that he is advancing in age, he has taken on several geriatric hobbies. He now enjoys bird watching occasionally. When asked why he replied, “well I’m becoming an old man now, so I might as well do old man things.” He is also considering picking up bingo, and possibly arts and crafts as well.