Orangeblood
1,000+ Posts
See this tragic link.
Article:
_________________________________________________
Original report
The Animals have lost their Zookeeper.
Drew Hankin, the leader and "Zookeeper" for the Animals of Section B, was found dead in his apartment Wednesday night. Since 2000, he had been the leader of the Florida State baseball fans that sit in Section B at Dick Howser Stadium.
Hankin, a 1990 graduate of Godby High, was 37.
"I'm shocked. We're shocked. This is a sad day for Florida State baseball and our beloved fans," said Chip Baker, Florida State's director of baseball operations. "Drew lived for Seminole baseball. The first FSU game that he watched was in 1986 and I know he lived every day for FSU baseball."
In addition to his duties as the leader of the Animals, Hankin wrote weekly columns and updates on Florida State baseball for SectionB.com and Warchant.com.
Hankin was also the site manager for Warchant.com since 2007 and served as the webmaster for the Bobby Bowden Football Camp from 2005-2009. But it was his work reporting about and supporting FSU baseball that made Hankin a beloved member of the Seminole baseball family.
"He made Seminole baseball worldwide," Baker said. "The impact he made — it's incredible. We're all in a state of shock right now."
Hankin is the third prominent media member that covered FSU baseball to die in the last seven years. In 2004, long-time radio broadcaster Lee Bowen died. In 2009, Tallahassee Democrat senior writer Steve Ellis, who covered Florida State athletics for 28 years, died.
Hankin is survived by his mother, Michelle Hankin, who lives in Sun City in the Tampa area.
11:15 a.m. update
Tallahassee Police Department spokesperson Susan Newhouse confirmed that natural causes led to the death of Drew Hankin, the leader and "Zookeeper" for the famed Animals of Section B fan group that supports Florida State baseball.
Hankin, 37, was found dead in his apartment near the FSU campus Wednesday evening.
Hankin had a serious health scare late in the fall of 2009. In the aftermath of that scare, he lost a significant amount of weight.
Friends who had spoken to Hankin as recently as Wednesday afternoon said they thought he appeared to be in good shape.
"I talked to him (Tuesday) night," said Chip Baker, Florida State's director of baseball operations. ""Everything seemed fine. This is so sad. He was a true friend to me and a true friend to Seminole baseball."
Funeral arrangements have not yet been finalized.
__________________________________________________
Not sure how many people on here ever made the trip to Tallahassee for baseball (like the rain soaked super reginal), but if you did you probably met Drew.
I met him when I flew in to set up a tailgate just for the Saturday super game. It was a complete rain out, but Drew and his tailgating Seminole fans were the epitome of hospitality that day and on Sunday. The sowed me where to set up and even held a place for me next to their grooup. All day, as we sat around in the rain, people flowed from their tailgates through my small tent and we had some really good connections. Afterwards he occasionally posted on HornFans as FSUMadCow.
He will be sorely missed by many.
Article:
_________________________________________________
Original report
The Animals have lost their Zookeeper.
Drew Hankin, the leader and "Zookeeper" for the Animals of Section B, was found dead in his apartment Wednesday night. Since 2000, he had been the leader of the Florida State baseball fans that sit in Section B at Dick Howser Stadium.
Hankin, a 1990 graduate of Godby High, was 37.
"I'm shocked. We're shocked. This is a sad day for Florida State baseball and our beloved fans," said Chip Baker, Florida State's director of baseball operations. "Drew lived for Seminole baseball. The first FSU game that he watched was in 1986 and I know he lived every day for FSU baseball."
In addition to his duties as the leader of the Animals, Hankin wrote weekly columns and updates on Florida State baseball for SectionB.com and Warchant.com.
Hankin was also the site manager for Warchant.com since 2007 and served as the webmaster for the Bobby Bowden Football Camp from 2005-2009. But it was his work reporting about and supporting FSU baseball that made Hankin a beloved member of the Seminole baseball family.
"He made Seminole baseball worldwide," Baker said. "The impact he made — it's incredible. We're all in a state of shock right now."
Hankin is the third prominent media member that covered FSU baseball to die in the last seven years. In 2004, long-time radio broadcaster Lee Bowen died. In 2009, Tallahassee Democrat senior writer Steve Ellis, who covered Florida State athletics for 28 years, died.
Hankin is survived by his mother, Michelle Hankin, who lives in Sun City in the Tampa area.
11:15 a.m. update
Tallahassee Police Department spokesperson Susan Newhouse confirmed that natural causes led to the death of Drew Hankin, the leader and "Zookeeper" for the famed Animals of Section B fan group that supports Florida State baseball.
Hankin, 37, was found dead in his apartment near the FSU campus Wednesday evening.
Hankin had a serious health scare late in the fall of 2009. In the aftermath of that scare, he lost a significant amount of weight.
Friends who had spoken to Hankin as recently as Wednesday afternoon said they thought he appeared to be in good shape.
"I talked to him (Tuesday) night," said Chip Baker, Florida State's director of baseball operations. ""Everything seemed fine. This is so sad. He was a true friend to me and a true friend to Seminole baseball."
Funeral arrangements have not yet been finalized.
__________________________________________________
Not sure how many people on here ever made the trip to Tallahassee for baseball (like the rain soaked super reginal), but if you did you probably met Drew.
I met him when I flew in to set up a tailgate just for the Saturday super game. It was a complete rain out, but Drew and his tailgating Seminole fans were the epitome of hospitality that day and on Sunday. The sowed me where to set up and even held a place for me next to their grooup. All day, as we sat around in the rain, people flowed from their tailgates through my small tent and we had some really good connections. Afterwards he occasionally posted on HornFans as FSUMadCow.
He will be sorely missed by many.
