Former Asheville baseball alum Jeff Fox passes away

Story courtesy of Mike Gore

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville Athletics Department is sad to report that UNC Asheville baseball alum Jeff Fox passed away in San Francisco Tuesday morning.

Fox was a four-year letterman on the Bulldog baseball team from 1988-91. He was a four-year starter for Asheville and helped lead the Dogs to some of their best seasons in school history. Fox started for the Bulldogs as a catcher and in the outfield and finished his career with a .292 batting average, 27 doubles, nine triples, eight home runs, 124 runs score and 26 stolen bases. Jeff tied for the team lead in triples as a freshman in 1988 with four. His nine career triples are tied for second all-time in that category. In addition, he earned 95 career walks tying him for sixth all-time in that career category.

Jeff helped lead the Bulldogs to their best season ever in 1990 when Asheville finished with a 25-25-1 record. The Dogs had a 10-game winning streak during the year, still a school-record, and knocked off an ACC foe Duke for the first time ever. The Bulldogs also enjoyed a win over Tennessee that season. Asheville finished in third place in the Big South that year, its highest finish ever in league play.

In 1991, despite a knee injury that caused him to miss half the season, Jeff helped lead a young Bulldog squad to the Big South championship game. Limping and playing DH, Jeff still managed to help spark the sixth-seeded Dogs to upset wins over third-seeded Winthrop, second-seeded Augusta and fourth-seeded Davidson before falling to top-seeded Coastal Carolina on the Chanticleers' home field.

The Taylorsville native graduated in 1992 with a degree in sociology. Fox served as a member of the United States Secret Service from 1994 until 2002. He left the Secret Service in 2002 and spent two years as a member of the US Air Marshals. He held a position with the CIA from 2003 until 2015 and worked for the US Defense Department since 2015.

Jeff was inducted into the Alexander County Sports Hall of Fame in 2019. He and his wife Kristina were living in San Francisco at the time of his death.

"He was the hardest fighting competitor I ever played with, great sense of humor, great teammate, and an even better friend. After college, Jeff was always the one bringing us back together, I miss him."

- Terry Gahagan (Class of 1989). Owner of Terry Gahagan Allstate Insurance in Asheville.

"Jeff Fox was a great friend, great teammate and great person. He was so charismatic, full of life and loved the game of baseball. Jeff was a fierce competitor, a winner, and was always willing to do whatever it took to get a victory. Ask anybody whoever stepped between the lines with him and they will tell you the same. If I were in a war. I would want Jeff in my foxhole (no pun intended). As a person, Jeff was kind, witty, intelligent, understanding, and willing to do anything for his teammates, family, or friends. He had a loyalty to his wife, friends, teammates, and Alma Mater that was unmatched. He was always the catalyst that kept our group together. He arranged the reunions, gatherings and the like, even though he was not close by. Mention a UNC Asheville baseball gathering for any reason and Jeff was on a plane and would be the first one there. As an example, since all this began, we started a WhatsApp (Thank you Worm) and guys I have not heard from or talked to or even played with but played with Jeff have all joined. Some I have not seen or talked to in more than twenty years but we all came together for Jeff and reunited. Even as he was fighting for his life, he was still the one bringing us together. He was a special person and will be dearly missed by his teammates, friends, family, and everybody he touched. He personified what it is to be "proud to be a Bulldog".

-Marc Rosenbalm (Class of 1991) Local hotel manager, Member of UNC Asheville Athletics Hall of Fame

"On behalf of my Bulldog Brothers, it is with heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of our beloved teammate, Jeff Fox. Jeff was a talented, passionate, and versatile player at UNC Asheville from 1988-91. He was the glue that helped those teams stay close while we competed and continued to be the leader in keeping teammates together today. Jeff was fiery, intelligent, competitive, funny, and as loyal a friend as we could have ever asked. We are grateful for Jeff's service to our country. He had a life-long distinguished career in the Secret Service and CIA. Jeff was a devoted husband to Kristina and a prince of a son to Martha and Jerry. Our prayers are with them. Rest in peace our dear friend Jeff. We love you and already miss you deeply!! Thanks for being such a great friend and we cherish the many fond memories of you. You will always be in our hearts. Your Bulldog Brothers!!"

- Mike Shildt (Class of 1993) Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, Member of the UNC Asheville Athletics Hall of Fame

University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics

Former Asheville baseball alum Jeff Fox passes away

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