City Honors Local Sports Hero

Marianna City Commission Gives “Key to the City” to Los Angeles Angel Star, Jeff Mathis By Sid Riley

Jeff Mathis is living what is many young boy’s dream…he is a star player in the Major Leagues of baseball. Jeff is the son of Bunnee and Danny Mathis of Marianna. He graduated from Marianna High in 2001, and he along with teammate Allen Horne were drafted in the first round for the Major Leagues.

Jeff initially worked his way through the Angels farm club system until 2004, when he began his Major League career. During the league playoff championships this year, Jeff was an outstanding star in the team lineup. He was directly responsible for getting a game winning hit in one of the playoff games, and recorded an amazing string of six straight hits in the series. He is also renowned for his skills as a catcher, with his defensive abilities adding tremendously to the team effort.

Jeff is very much a “home town” boy, and the first thing he did when he arrived back home from the season end in Los Angeles was hit the woods in quest of a Jackson County deer.