Bill Nash
There was no doubt that the late Bill Nash was the best basketball announcer of my life time. Sitting by his side for dozens of games, I was stunned how he could keep up with each play. A few minutes into the game he had memorized each player’s number.
With the big UTC Southern Conference win (64-63) I was wondering just how "Nasty" (his nickname) would have reacted if he'd been behind the mic when that last UTC play was made.
He was a dyed in the wool Moccasin supporter both football and basketball.
Nash came to Chattanooga in 1955 working for several radio stations and eventually was named general manager at WDOD. While at the Dynamo of Dixie, he was also the voice of the Chattanooga Moccasins.
I remember traveling with Bill to the University of Dayton. We flew with the basketball team and our pilot was the famous Tarbell Patten. Although we lost, on the way home Bill mixed with the players and was so proud to be part of the Mocs family. He treated them like they were his boys. He was especially fond of David Bryan and Tom Losh.
I wouldn't trade the memories of traveling several years with Bill to both football and basketball games. It was my job to make sure the equipment was working and all the commercials aired. After we got to the press box Nash would head straight to the locker room to chat with coaches and players. A few of the schools he took me to were Vandy, UT, Tennessee Wesleyan, Bryan, Ole Miss, MTSU, ETSU and working home games at Big Mac and Chamberlain Field. He often bragged about being a good friend of Coach Scrappy Moore. He and Coach Moore liked to eat lunch at George's Hamburgers. I went with them a couple of times.
Coach Ron Shumate was also his close friend. Coach Shumate spent a lot of time in Nash’s office just talking; I would guess about basketball. He was so proud when Coach Shumate was inducted into the Mocs Hall of Fame in 1991.
Nash loved sportscasters Darrell Patterson and Randy Smith. Both were former WDOD employees. He was proud when Patterson took over sports at Channel 9. Bill often bragged about Randy Smith being part of the UT Vol Network. He wanted to claim them as his sons.
There’s so much more that could be said about Bill Nash. I know “Nasty” will be pulling for the UTC Mocs in that great press box in the sky as they travel to the Big Dance.