SPORTS WRAP PODCAST, DEC. 22: UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE JOEY WARDLOW

Joe Wardlow during his time with the minor league Gastonia Rangers. CONTRIBUTED

Key West and the Conch Republic recently received some very exciting news: 1984 baseball state champion Joey Wardlow was inducted to the University of Tampa Athletic Hall of Fame. His career took him through the minor leagues of professional baseball to winning a state championship as an assistant coach for Key West under Ralph Henriquez in 1994 and 1995. He has also won a state championship as the head coach for south Florida powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas.

Coach Wardlow talks about growing up in Key West in the ‘70s and ‘80s. He discusses growing up in the Little Conch Baseball League and the countless hours of practice he put in with his father, former mayor and founder of the Conch Republic Dennis Wardlow. Coach also discusses coach Pedro Fraga and why the 1984 team won the state championship.

Listen as Joey Wardlow sits down with Keys Weekly Sports Wrap host Sean McDonald to discuss his time growing up in Key West, what his time at the University of Tampa meant to him, and the truth about the founding of the Conch Republic.

Listen to Part 2 here.

Sean Mcdonald grew up in Miami and moved to the Keys in 1997. He has spent the last 25 years teaching Physical Education and coaching virtually every sport to Florida Keys kids from ages 4 to 18. If you are reading this and live or lived in the Florida Keys, He has probably taught, coached, or coached against someone you know. You can email me any Podcast Ideas or Questions at sports@keysweekly.com