Friends of Randy Layman remembered him as a big South Carolina fan, integral to the growth of the annual Border Bash.

Layman, the Augusta Gamecock Club president, died after collapsing at his home Saturday. He was 50 and is survived by his wife and two sons. Family and friends attended a memorial for him Monday.

"I'm very saddened by his death," said Augusta Gamecock Club vice president Tom Rogers, who attended North Augusta High School and the University of South Carolina with Layman.

"He was a good guy. He was a big Gamecock."

"Randy was a true Gamecock," Aiken County Gamecock Club president Chris Fulmer said. "He was a devoted family man.

"I know he was really looking forward to this season. I guess now he'll have a better vantage point."

A 1980 South Carolina graduate, Layman became the Augusta Gamecock Club president in the mid-1990s. At the same time, the Border Bash, founded by Augusta Bulldog Club members Bobby Bentley, Kent Dunn and Frank Mulherin, was starting up. They recognized the need for a South Carolina presence to help grow the event.

The Augusta Bulldog Club approached Layman about co-sponsoring the Border Bash, an annual fundraiser which includes a golf tournament and party the day before the Georgia-South Carolina football game.

"We needed the Gamecocks in the Border Bash to have that rivalry," said Bentley, who added the Border Bash has grown from 300 fans to between 15,000-20,000.

Bentley credited Layman with bringing in South Carolina cheerleaders and mascot "Cocky" to help balance the event.

Augusta Bulldog Club president Mike Harley said Layman kept the event from becoming one-sided.

"Randy was real instrumental in getting Game-cock fans to come to Border Bash," Harley said. "The Border Bash cannot exist without the two schools and their fans coming together."

Rogers said the Border Bash became a big part of Layman's annual plans. The two had lunch Thursday to discuss this year's event, which will be held Sept. 12 in downtown Augusta.

"Border Bash meant a lot to him, because he knew what we were doing benefited a lot of children's charities," Rogers said. "Hopefully, we can get up on stage and recognize Randy in some sort of way."

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 823-3645 or chris.gay@augustachronicle.com.