"We became very good friends ... I don't think I ever had a harsh word with him," said Coffey, who was holding his friend's hand Friday morning when Jennings died at age 88.

They became fast friends, as Coffey spent a lot of time in press boxes as a newspaper man, and Jennings as a radio man.

"He was the senior radio man in Savannah. Nobody had been there longer than he has," said Coffey, 87, a retired editor of the Savannah Morning News and the Evening Press. "I've said this to many people. I have never heard a sportscaster any better than Al, and that includes all of them. Al could do very well. Why he never went up to a higher calling, I don't know.

"He was right up there."

A native of Central Florida, Alfred Bowman Jennings spent his career in Savannah, working for two radio stations, WCCP/WBYG-AM and WJCL-FM, and later doing television sportscasts for WJCL. He retired in 1991.

Many knew Jennings from his broadcasts of Savannah's professional minor-league baseball team in the South Atlantic League in the 1950s and '60s. Whether the ballclubs were called the Indians, Athletics, Reds or something else (depending on the major-league affiliation), Jennings painted the verbal pictures.

"He was Savannah's voice for baseball," said attorney Skip Jennings, no relation to Al, but that didn't stop people from assuming the two local radio broadcasters were kin. "He was also a big fan of big band music."

Jennings used to open his morning radio talk show with big band music. His signature line to end the show was "Remember, you're not completely dressed until you're wearing a smile." He also had a sports program, with the sign-off "Remember, you don't have to play a sport to be a sport."

His impact on local sports was so great, he was inducted into the Greater Savannah Athletic Hall of Fame as a citation honoree - and the first media member - in 1986. Jennings was a founder of the Hall and served as its president and on the board of trustees, and also was active in the Quarterback Club.

"Savannah lost a great, great person," said his friend James Rody, 61, who with his twin brother, George, operated Rody's Music store for many years. "He had great taste in music and always had good comments about the music itself."

George Rody called Jennings a good person and "very fair" with his opinions. James Rody said Jennings was funny, always ready with a joke.

"He was always such a positive person," James Rody said. "He made you feel good about life. He also loved music, obviously, that's why he was in the business."

Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Monday at White Bluff United Methodist Church. The family will be receiving friends one hour prior to the funeral service. The burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Buckingham South, 5450 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA 31405.