Ed DeFore baseball field to be named for Eddie Ashley

Ashley coached at Northeast, Southwest and Southeast high schools before serving as the Bibb County School District’s athletic director.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The Bibb County Board of Education voted Thursday night to name the baseball field at the Ed DeFore Sports Complex in honor of late coach and district athletic director Eddie Ashley.

Ashley, who died in 2020, graduated from Lanier High School and the University of Georgia before beginning an extensive coaching career with Bibb County schools, according to the district.

He coached baseball, basketball and football at Northeast, Southwest and Southeast high schools.

During his time coaching baseball at Southwest and Southeast, Ashley compiled a 333-165 record. He was named Georgia Athletic Region 4-AAA Coach of the Year in 1986 and 1987.

Ashley also served twice as head coach of the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association South All-Star team and three times as coach of the Georgia Dugout Club South All-Stars.

He served as the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association’s state baseball chairman from 1991 through 1997. Ashley was also a Georgia Dugout Club South Baseball coordinator, served on the organization’s executive board and was president of the Georgia High School Coaches Association.

The Georgia Dugout Club inducted Ashley into its Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004. He was inducted into the Macon Sports Hall of Fame as part of its 2018 class.

After completing his coaching career, Ashley served as the Bibb County School District’s athletic director before retiring.