Athlete – Baseball
Born April 30, 1961, Lexington native Tony Mack’s first experience with baseball was watching the late, legendary John Will “Scoop” Brown getting the baseball field ready at Douglass Park. Those memories set Tony on a trajectory to becoming the only African-American Major League pitcher born in the state of Kentucky.
The son of Mary Batiste and Jessie Fischer, and the stepson of James Batiste, Tony’s early playing days came on Aspendale’s Big Field, where Larry Jenkins and Sylvester Jones helped hone the baseball skills of local youngsters. Jones took particular notice of Tony’s arm and began grooming him for the pitcher’s mound.
Now bitten by the baseball bug, Tony’s first organized baseball experience was at the Salvation Army. Coached by the late, legendary Charlie Givens, Tony’s team won the city championship. He then took his talents to Castlewood Park, playing on a team that won the state championship in 1973.
Tony’s penchant for winning championships followed him when he joined the high school ranks at Tates Creek. He helped lead the Commodores to a runner-up finish in the 1977 KHSAA State Tournament, and his South Lexington Team won the Connie Mack World Series in Farmington, Massachusetts, that same year. The next year, the Commodores won the KHSAA State Tournament Championship in 1978, and Tony was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
After a stellar high school career, Tony continued his education at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, from 1980-82. While at Lamar, Tony was named most valuable pitcher for the Southland Conference in 1981 and 1982. Tony also won a gold medal as a member of the 1981 U.S.A. Collegiate Baseball Team which played in Japan and Korea.
After two seasons of success at Lamar, Tony was drafted by the California Angels as the second pick of the third round in 1982. He made his major league debut in August 1985 and spent five years with the Angels’ organization. Tony was also a member of the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers organizations. He went on to play Independent Baseball in Corpus Christi, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. In total, Tony played for six championship teams.
At the conclusion of his baseball career, Tony worked in the asset recovery industry in Tempe, AZ. Since returning to Kentucky, Tony has worked in the auto industry. His favorite quote is, “In order to win, you have to understand the losses.”
