MOULTRIE — First it was high gas prices that cut into the attendance at this year’s eighth annual Georgia/Florida/Alabama Minor League Baseball Reunion, planned for this weekend.

Now the threat of bad weather associated with Tropical Storm Fay further threatens the number of ex-players coming to the event.

But organizer Clint Chafin still hopes a number of former players will turn out for the reunion events.

A golf tournament and home run derby scheduled for Friday appear to be in jeopardy with rain and wind expected.

Saturday’s activities at the Colquitt County Ag Center should be held as scheduled however.

A barbecue lunch at noon, a photo session at 1 p.m. and an open-to-the-public program from 2-4 p.m. have become reunion staples.

The annual banquet will also be held this year at the Ag Center with Colquitt County’s Everett Griner as the featured speaker.

Griner, who is celebrating 60 years in broadcasting this year, has a long association with Colquitt County baseball and served as the public address announcer for parts of two seasons for Moultrie minor league baseball clubs.

Griner recalls being paid $5 a game to announce games at Holmes Park.

He will have plenty of stories to tell of his days watching minor league baseball, including one about the time he inadvertently left his microphone on at a most inopportune time.

Griner also called Moultrie High and Colquitt County High football games for 17 years for radio station WMGA.

He began his career in broadcasting playing rhythm guitar and bass in a country band, playing live in local studios after returning home to Colquitt County following a stint in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

His career in radio was put on hold when he enlisted in the U.S.Air Force in 1950 during the Korean War.

When he returned, he began doing agriculture reports and still files farm reports for Southeast AgNet.

This year’s reunion also will feature the induction of four former players into the Georgia Class D Hall of Fame.

Two — Milton Wrenn and Mike Lemish — played baseball in Moultrie.

Wrenn, who still lives in Colquitt County, was an outstanding catcher. He later played semi-pro baseball in Colquitt County, became a fine bowler and coached youth baseball.

Wrenn is ill and is not expected to attend this year’s reunion, Chafin said.

Lemish was a hard-throwing pitcher. Also being inducted this year are Parnell Ruark and Bob Zuccarini. Ruark played in the Georgia State League and later was the head coach at Norman College and Georgia Military College.

Chafin said four regular reunion attendees have died since the 2007 event.