A true ?Pioneer?: Terry was first black WCHS baseball player
|
Be it black, white, yellow ? it doesn?t matter what the color of your skin is.
But it wasn?t so long ago that we lived in a world where racial discrimination was, sadly, part of our culture.
With the celebration of Black History Month comes the 36-year anniversary of Ricky Terry becoming the first African-American member of the Warren County High School Pioneer baseball team.
In prior years, African-American athletes had played basketball and football for both City and Central High Schools, but in 1970, one year after the consolidation of the two schools, Terry became the first African-American to join the varsity baseball team.
At the time, Terry said, he never considered himself a racial pioneer ? he was just a Warren County Pioneer.
?Back then I never thought about racism, it was about playing a game,? he said. ?There was never any issue with my teammates, we just enjoyed playing baseball. I never thought about being the first black on the team, and I don?t think anyone else did, either. I just loved to play ball and that?s all that mattered.?
Although racism was not an issue with athletes here in Warren County, Terry admits there were a few places, where his being part of the Pioneer squad was viewed in a different manner.
?There were a few places we went and played that didn?t like the idea of blacks playing on the same team as whites,? he recalled. ?Fentress County was one of those places back then.
?It was a little scary sometimes, and there would be a few racial remarks made. But coach (Troy) Jones always kept things under control and made it clear we were a team of one.?
Now 51 years old, Terry currently resides in White County.
PHOTO INFO:
Ricky Terry, the first African-American baseball player at Warren County High School, is shown with his teammates in this team photo ?torn? from the pages of a 1971 issue of the Standard. Pictured are, front row, from left, Glenn Mitchell, Ricky Rogers, Tony Cope, Ray Martin, Andy Link, Mike Gann and Andy Jacobs. Second row, Audie Parker, David High, Jimmy Davis, Barry Panter, Larry Panter and Ronnie Lee. Third row, Ricky Parker, Terry, Tim Pedigo, Carl Morrison, Tony Madewell and Stephen Lewis. Back row, assistant coach Troy Jones, managers Garry Jackson and Stanley Roberts, and head coach John Brock. (Standard file photo)