Randy Smith
Virgil Roberson was a quiet and soft-spoken man. I never heard him say anything bad about anybody....never. His smile could light up an entire room, and unless you already knew that Virgil was one of the most successful track coaches in Chattanooga's rich sports history, you likely would never know. He certainly wouldn't tell you. He was also a very valuable assistant football coach back in the day; even called one of the very best when he and the late, legendary Coach Bob Davis were together at City High School back in the 1980s.
He and I served together on the Board of Directors for the Greater Chattanooga Area Sports Hall of Fame for a few years, though we had become friends a few years before. I always enjoyed our conversations about local sports, but I really enjoyed talking with him a few times about the 1960s.
You see, that's where Virgil and several of his Howard High School classmates first made their mark. In 1960, that group of young black students staged a sit-in at several different lunch counters in downtown Chattanooga. Taking a cue from students in other Southern cities, they bravely walked in the cafeterias, and boldly sat down at the counter; a spot that was at that time reserved for white people only. At first, the white people in the lunchroom were taken aback and didn't really respond, until they figured out that something that had been theirs for so long was now in danger of being taken from them.
The Howard students were instructed to behave accordingly. No shouting or profanity were allowed. This would be a peaceful demonstration in every way. But things quickly turned violent between the Howard students and white students from other schools. Arrests were made and even fire hoses were used by police and firemen to quell the unrest. This all took place in February, and in May the students graduated. In August the lunch counters finally opened up and became integrated. Those Howard High students had won the battle. It was a small step in the great scheme of things, but it was a tremendous victory nonetheless. As Virgil once said, "We didn't exactly knock on the door, we kicked it down.....for the next generation."
Virgil Roberson passed away last week, in the presence of his family, friends and loved ones. He had been sick for quite a while but is now at peace. Chattanooga has lost a great man, a real Civil Rights Icon so to speak. It was the courage and conviction exhibited by Virgil and his Howard classmates that led to change in the city of Chattanooga in the 1960s. A small seed that was planted more than half a century ago has led to a much bigger harvest for people today. Though much progress has been made, there is still much to do.
The words, "Conduct and Courage Lead to Honor," was the motto for the Howard High School Class of 1960. I truly believe those words are true, because Virgil Roberson was one of the most courageous and honorable men I have ever known.
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Randy Smith has been covering sports on radio, television and print for the past 45 years. After leaving WRCB-TV in 2009, he has written two books, and has continued to free-lance as a play-by-play announcer. His career has included a 17-year stretch as host of the Kickoff Call In Show on the University of Tennessee’s prestigious Vol Network. He has been a member of the Vol Network staff for 30 years. He has done play-by-play on ESPN, ESPN II, CSS, and Fox SportSouth, totaling more than 500 games, and served as a well-known sports anchor on Chattanooga television for more than a quarter-century. In 2003, he became the first television broadcaster to be inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Area Sports Hall of Fame. Randy and his wife Shelia reside in Hixson. They have two married children, Christi and Chris Perry; Davey and Alison Smith. They have five grandchildren, Coleman, Boone, Mattingly, DellaMae, and CoraLee.