Francis Louis Louis "Frank" Taylor

Francis Louis "Frank" Taylor, 94, of Pine Bluff, died Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. He was born February 26, 1917 in St. Louis, Missouri, son of Andrew N. and Katherine Grabenstein Taylor. Mr. Taylor was reared and received his early education in Missouri, graduating from University City High School. He attended the University of Missouri before joining in the United States Army. Mr. Taylor served in the Army during World War II. Frank worked as a highway inspector for the City of Baltimore, Maryland from 1946 until his retirement in 1976. His true passion was softball. Frank started playing fastpitch softball in St. Louis in 1932 as a pitcher and outfielder. He later became a very successful fastpitch softball manager. Frank became the first person inducted in the Maryland fastpitch softball Hall of Fame in 1962 and was a member of the Maryland Oldtimers Fastpitch Softball Association. He was inducted in the St. Louis Fastpitch Softball Hall of Fame in 1974. Frank's team from Decatur, Illinois won the ASA National Championship in 1981. After moving to Pine Bluff, his Pine Bluff ASA team won four consecutive Southwest Regional Championships from 1988-1991. Mr. Taylor was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Pine Bluff. He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Raymond Taylor, Martin J. Taylor and Andrew Norman Taylor; and five sisters, Catherine Kelly, Rose Allen, Virginia Steinmeyer, Mary Koch and Florence Taylor. Survivors include his wife, Pauline Ozment Taylor, whom he married April 3, 1946 in Baltimore, Maryland; son, Andrew N. Taylor of Pine Bluff; and brother, Richard Taylor of Corona Del Mar, California. A Memorial Mass will be 10 a.m., Saturday, May 21, 2011 at St. Joseph Catholic Church with Father L. Warren Harvey officiating. Arrangements were handled by Ralph Robinson & Son Funeral Directors in Pine Bluff. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Maryland Fastpitch Hall of Fame Website, c/o Frank Taylor Memorial, 820 Scarlett Drive, Towson, Maryland 21286. Online register: www.ralphrobinsonandson.com.