UGA rallies around injured baseball player

By Larry Hartstein

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Chance Veazey, a freshman infielder on Georgia's baseball team, remains at St. Mary's Hospital after seriously injuring his back in an accident on his motor scooter last week.

Enlarge photo

Ben Gray, AJC UGA freshman infielder Chance Veazey (shown here with Tift Co. High) seriously injured his back in a motor scooter accident. It's unclear if he'll regain use of his legs, Dr. Donald Peck Leslie, medical director of the Shepherd Center, said.

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Veazey was trying to avoid a car that turned in front of him on Lumpkin Street Wednesday night, according to police.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Chance and his family right now," UGA coach David Perno said. "Chance is a very tough individual and that's going to help him."

A 5-9, 175-pound Tifton native, Veazey is a pre-business major who arrived at Georgia after a decorated career at Tift County High. He had just left the Miller Learning Center when the accident occurred.

At 10:40 p.m. Wednesday, Veazey was southbound on a Yamaha Vizio scooter when a northbound 1996 Honda Civic driven by a Conyers woman turned left onto Baxter Street in front of him, police said. Veazey tried to avoid a collision but the Vizio fell on its side and slid into the side of the car. No charges have been filed, and the investigation is continuing.

UGA football coach Mark Richt visited Veazey before leaving for Jacksonville, then mentioned him during the national telecast of the Georgia-Florida game Saturday.

As of Monday morning, the "Prayers for Chance" and "Pray for Chance Veazey" Facebook pages had drawn nearly 4,000 members combined.