Jim Poole, a Georgia Tech Hall of Famer and former MLB pitcher, died Friday. Poole, 57, recently was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Poole arrived at Tech in 1985 and had an immediate impact as Tech baseball win the first of four consecutive ACC tournament championships. During his four years, Poole pitched in 120 games and struck out 263 batters in 188 innings. He still ranks first in the Tech record book with 22 career saves, including 10 as a junior and nine as a senior.
Poole was named All-ACC his last two seasons and was enshrined into the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.
Poole elected not to turn professional after he was selected in the 34th round of the 1987 MLB draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He returned to Tech for his senior season and recorded a 2.03 ERA with 113 strikeouts in 71 innings. The Dodgers would call his name in the 1988 MLB draft, this time taking him in the ninth round. He would return to graduate from Tech with a degree in electrical engineering in 1990.
Poole played 11 years in MLB, predominantly with the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians and San Francisco Giants. In 431 games, he finished with 22 victories and a 4.31 ERA as well as 256 strikeouts and four saves. He helped pitch Cleveland to two American League Championship Series (1995, 1998) and made it to the 1995 World Series, when the Indians played the Braves.
Following his retirement at the end of the 2000 season, Poole returned to Tech to join the Alexander-Tharpe Fund as a fundraiser and supporter of the baseball program. He then began serving as the pitching coach at Johns Creek High School in 2010.
He later joined the business world as a personal wealth advisor for the baseball division of BIP Wealth.
After he was diagnosed with ALS in 2021, Poole worked to raise awareness for the disease. In addition to serving on MLB ALS boards, he also worked with Tech to host an ALS Awareness Day during the 2022 baseball season, with the Yellow Jackets wearing Poole shirts and participating teams wearing honorary wristbands. Professional players also wore the shirt.
Tech later designated the No. 21 each year to be worn by a player who exemplified Poole’s ideals – self-determination, a strong academic work ethic and high moral fiber on and off the field.
Poole is survived by his wife, Kim, three children and two grandchildren.
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