The World Series champion Lakeside Dixie Youth team from 1969 was honored on Tuesday night by the City Council for its 47-1 record and for being pioneers of racial inclusion.
There were two black players on the team that won the sub district, district and state, then marched through the World Series at Montgomery, Ala., with only a single loss.
"We lost once to Louisiana, but we came back and beat them in the final," team member Perry Perkins said.
Lakeside was the first team from Tennessee to win the Dixie Youth World Series.
Herman Greer, one of the black players on the team, said the fact there were black and white players together was not a big deal. He said, "We just enjoyed each other and had fun."
He said the other black team member, Melvin Flewellen, lives in Nebraska and did not get to come for the ceremony.
The star of the team, Bobby Edmondson, died just a couple of months ago. "He went on to play three years for Kansas City," Mr. Perkins noted. The players wore orange caps that had his name emblazoned on the back.
They also carried their large world championship trophy to City Hall. Durand Crawford, the "hind catcher," said he wound up with it because his father was the coach.
Mr. Perkins said the last time the group was at City Hall, Mayor A.L. "Chunk" Bender presented the team with the key to the city. "We lost it," Mr. Perkins said.
Others who were at the ceremony led by Councilwoman Carol Berz were Tim Womack, Jim Baker, Jerry Defriese, Gary Puckett and Brian Hickey.
Another player present, Robert "Robbie" Johnson, said that year was his first venture into baseball. He said, "My father played baseball and he encouraged me to play. I would go down to Lakeside from Birchwood, which was quite a ways.
"There were a number of different teams during the regular season, then they chose All Stars." He said there was a black community nearby and Herman and Melvin were among those chosen from their team to join the All Stars.
He said, "We were like family. All of us took care of each other."