Taylor Collins

Taylor Collins was 21 years, 8 months, and 25 days old when he tragically and unexpectedly passed away on September 7th of 2012. He adored baseball and was an outstanding athlete. While playing baseball (since he was 4 years old), Taylor also managed to attend karate classes with Darrell Craig twice a week for 12 years. He earned his black belt when he was just 16, and was a national champion. This discipline was quite a compliment to his baseball. While the many select teams he played on included Houston Storm, Saints, Allen Baseball and Colt 45’s, he also regularly pursued private lessons from age 7 with Willie Ansley, Ron Smith, Gerald Young, Tony Metoyer and others. He played for St. Thomas High School, and for HBU from 2009-2010.

Taylor’s love for that team and HBU never wavered. He attended the University of Mary Hardin Baylor and was invited to play at Wesleyan College in Fort Worth. But his heart was at HBU and so he was taking college courses with the intention of returning to HBU. He played for the Coastal Baseball League for several years where his team was invited to play in the Wichita College World Series in 2011. He was enrolled in college for the fall of 2012, but he had previously taken a semester off to try out for an independent baseball league(Pecos). Taylor was one of 8 chosen and invited to participate from his performance on the Coastal Kingfish team.

Taylor Collins loved baseball since he could hold a ball, but his character and caring both as a player and person is enviable. He adored his family, and had an especially close bond with his mother who, he was proud to say, never missed a game. In fact, “mama’s boy” is an adjective he often and openly used to describe himself. He was an only child who was and is deeply loved and cherished. As a talented player he was humble, patient, and dependable and was always willing to play any position. He was particularly good at 2nd and 3rd base, but did a good job as short stop and the outfield as well.

While he was outstanding athlete and player, he never bragged about his skills or accomplishments. And if he missed a play or did not get a hit, he took responsibility and never blamed the other player, or the turf, or his glove, or the bat. He looked and acted like a professional, for he wholeheartedly respected the game. He touched the lives of all with whom he played, as well as the coaches and the families of the players. He applied the same attitude off the field, and used his wit, intelligence, loyalty and compassion to direct, guide and impact countless people, old and young. He loved America and his animals, believed in God, and told his mother every day that he loved and respected her. He always wanted to make a difference in the world. He did—and still is.

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