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Billy Joe Forrest, shortstop for the 1951 Kitty
League All-Star team, died on April 5, 2006 at Martin
Healthcare Center in Martin, Tennessee. He was 78 years old.
He was born in Fulton, Kentucky on July 13,
1927, the son of N.B. "Bones" and Wilma (Tibbs)
Forrest.
He began his professional baseball
career with the Union City Greyhounds on May 11, 1949. He hit
an inside-the-park, grand slam home run in his first at-bat
against the Cairo Dodgers.
In 1951, he joined his hometown team, the
Fulton Railroaders, and was an important member during the
pennant-winning season, the first of three consecutive
championships for the small Kentucky town. He was elected as
shortstop on the All-Star team at the end of the season.
I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Forrest
during the Kitty League Centennial Reunion in 2003. He wanted
to come to the 2005 reunion, but his health prevented him from
doing so.
He was a member of First United Methodist
Church in Fulton. He leaves behind two sons, a daughter and
stepdaughter, as well as six grandchildren, two
step-grandchildren, and a great-grandchild. He is also
survived by two sisters and a brother.
His funeral was held at Hornbeak Funeral
Chapel in Fulton, with burial in Greenlea Cemetery.
Two obituaries for Mr. Forrest may be found
below:
Fulton
(KY) Leader
Bowling
Green (KY) Daily News
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