Tommy Locke transferred to Union in the fall of 1984 after a successful two years at the junior college level.
Right away, Locke was key in Union’s success on the baseball field, going 8-3 in his first year with the Bulldogs. He posted a 3.31 ERA and led the team to the District 24 title, advancing to the Area 5 Tournament. That season, Locke was named All-District 24, All-Area 5, and All-American.
As a senior, he did what seemed impossible. After having what many said was career ending shoulder injury during the summer, he returned to post one of the best seasons in Union pitching history. Locke was 11-1 in 1986, winning his first 10 games of the year. He posted a 3.20 ERA and had wins over D1 foes Mississippi State, Southeast Missouri State, and UT Martin. He also hit .323 as the designated hitter that season.
Locke is tied for third in the Union record books with 11 wins in a season. He is second in Union history with 10 consecutive victories. He ranks second at Union with a .917 winning percentage (11-1) in a season.
In addition to his on the field performances, Locke was also named NAIA Academic All-American twice (1985, 1986).
His head coach and fellow Union Hall of Famer Linn Stranak said of Locke, “Tommy is one of the three best competitors as a pitcher that I have ever seen or coached at Union. He was an extremely intelligent pitcher with outstanding control. He could manage a game totally from the mound.”
Locke currently works in business development at Nokia Corporation serving providers of telecommunication, media, and technology services. He and his wife Marry Anne have two daughters, Madison (Swayze) and Sydney. They reside in Franklin, Tennessee.
