A singular Roy Hobbs Loss
Francis Joseph Podraza, 1944-2026
One of the architects of the relocation of Roy Hobbs Baseball and its World Series to Lee County passed away August 4. Fran Podraza, 82, had been living in a memory care facility near his daughter Jennifer Shoppach’s family in Fort Worth for the past 4 years, a victim of advanced Alzheimer’s.
Fran and Bob Wagner, both charter members of the Roy Hobbs Hall of Fame (2013), orchestrated the way for Roy Hobbs to relocate to Lee County in 1992. Fran played and managed teams in Fort Myers from the beginning of amateur adult baseball there, probably best known for his Hooters and Bahama Breeze teams. Beginning with the inaugural event in 1989, he managed and played in the RHWS for 30 years.
A
native of Illinois, Fran was very active in his adopted community, helping to build the City of Palms Classic (high school all-star basketball), networking throughout numerous Chambers of Commerce organizations in Lee County while, in his spare time, running the Fort Myers men’s league from 2001 to 2018 when he moved to Texas. He was a fierce competitor, but when the last out was recorded, regardless of result, he wanted his opponents to join him for wings at Hooters — beer flowed but not for him as he never acquired a taste for anything stronger than iced tea with a lemon and a lime!
Fran knew no strangers, helped wherever he could in the Lee County community – a place he loved dearly – and was a pillar of the Roy Hobbs Baseball family, preaching the Hobbs amateur baseball gospel to all who would listen. We cannot count
the ways he enhanced Roy Hobbs efforts over the years. Rest easy Francis, you have you have earned it.
(Memorial Service plans will be posted on royhobbs.com landing page RH’s Dugout Facebook page when available.)
Roy Hobbs World Series #37
1. RHWS field: The listing of reservations for the 2026 RHWS to date can be found on royhobbs.com.
2. Registration: 2026 team registration links, and resulting player registration links, have been sent to Managers, who, in turn, will send to players. If players have not received their link, please contact your manager.
3. Antiques: 8 teams are confirmed; the current free agent list is minimal, so RH will focus on getting those FAs placed instead of building a team.
4. Free Agents: Registration is live on royhobbs.com.
5. Locker Room & Practice fields: Registration is live for both on royhobbs.com. The Locker Room is a special experience, particularly when full teams participate.
6. Sunshine Classic: 2027 Sunshine Classic dates are posted on royhobbs.com. Invitations to returning teams go out the week after Thanksgiving. Teams wishing an invitation for open divisions should send an inquiry email to teammatesupport@royhobbs.com
COMING EVENTS
TNT Classic: Columbus Day – October 11-13 – Nashville, Tennessee, presented by Middle Tennessee Adult Baseball Association & Roy Hobbs Baseball with 3 Age Divisions: 40+, 50+, 60+ See https://royhobbs.com/nashville-tnt-classic for details.
