This year marks Dixie Youth Baseball’s (DYB) 50th anniversary. On Signal Mountain, our recreation baseball league is beginning its 46th year as members of DYB. This is also a very special year – for the first time, Chattanooga communities will be hosting all of Tennessee’s DYB State Championship tournaments. Sixty teams from around the state in four different age divisions – more than 1,500 children and parents will be coming to Chattanooga for the tournament this July. Signal Mountain will host the 9 and 10 year old division championship which will consist of 15 teams.

Today, Signal Mountain has approximately 30 teams with more than 400 boys, girls, and coaches participating. Times have changed in the past 46 years, but in discussing the game with some 1960s Signal Mountain DYB alums, it seems the game and the relationships with the parents have changed very little.

In the spring of 1964, we were still recovering from the assassination of JFK, we were just learning about astronauts, and our Country was yet to be fully embroiled in Vietnam. Bob Goodrich was a Chemical Engineer, his son Bobby came home from Signal Mountain Elementary school and like so many boys, informed his Dad he wanted to play baseball and asked his Dad to be a coach. Boys all over Signal Mountain – Joe Brown, David Soloff, Scott Atkins, Dave Gardner, Ronnie Farley, Tim Burns, Rice Williams, Bobby Bomar, and Paul Hausler signed up to play DYB.

Mr. Goodrich, now 82 and retired, stills lives on Signal Mountain. He remembers the boys being very supportive of each other. “They played very hard and for the most part, demonstrated great sportsmanship. They had a lot of fun and got to know each other; they learned their strengths and weaknesses through athletic competition.” He believes they learned character lessons as a result of their time on the field.

Joe Brown, now 53 and a vice president with Stein Construction recalls practicing at Norris Park and playing games on Saturday morning at Marion and Driver Fields. The baggy, wool uniforms with stirrup socks were definitely from a bygone era. But the many friends he met through the league, learning how to win and lose with grace, and the importance of practice are still characteristics of today’s league. Joe said he was most appreciative of the Dads who sacrificed and came home from work early to help the boys and make the league successful. Both Brown and Goodrich remembered men such as Rod Davis as a competitive coach, with a passion for the game, and who worked very hard to make the league successful.

One of Bob Goodrich’s most memorable experiences was a tournament game against South Pittsburg. “We were a small town and didn’t compete well against the bigger towns like Red Bank and East Ridge. We were up by three runs when a boy hit a fly ball. Our outfielders ran into each other and our centerfielder lost his glasses. The ball went all the way to the fence and we ended up losing the game.” He also remembers trying to work with the boys who didn’t have quite as much talent and giving them an opportunity to contribute to the team. He said his most rewarding experience was being named coach of the year by the boys in the league.

Inquiring about the difference between parents of today and those of the 1960’s, Mr. Brown said, “the parents back then were probably less aggressive, but just as supportive as today’s parents.” He commented that today’s parents do much more work preparing the fields, managing the concessions, and fund raising.

When I asked Bob Goodrich who was the most memorable player he coached. As a former DYB coach, I can relate to Bob’s response when he said simply, “my son.”

Bob Linehart
blinehart@comcast.net