Plummer to be inducted to Smyth Hall of Fame May 3

Marion’s James Ray Plummer, former bat boy for the Marion Mets who made a career with the team, will be inducted to the Smyth County Sports Hall of Fame on Friday, May 3 at the Marion vs Lebanon baseball game at Marion Stadium. The formal presentation will be between the JV and varsity games at approximately 6:30-7 p.m. 

Jimmy Plummer, who was the team’s director of promotions for more than 20 years, died of heart failure in the summer of 2008 at the age of 57. He never made it to Citi Field but the Mets honored him with a room in his honor called “The Plum Room.”

Jay Horwitz, a writer with the New York Mets, remembered Plummer in a 2021 article for the team. 

“One of Plum’s jobs was to secure anthem singers and first ball throwers and they now gather in his spot before each home game. The room features photos from Plum’s career and examples from his famous bottle head collection.  He did so much more.  He ran Tommie’s Agee’s charity golf tournament, secured baseball equipment for area little league teams, coached as many of those youth teams as he possibly could,  obtained tickets for various charities, found places to live for newly arriving Mets players, set up appearances for players and staff during the winter months, and served as a liaison between the organization and various sponsors.” 

Plummer started as a bat boy with the Mets Marion A team in the Appalachian League when he was 12.