Scoreboards

Chattanooga is a city of many variations. A touch of Americana, blended with many trials that they had to overcome. The people of the area have a love of country, state and baseball. Some of the most highly attended games in the year leave the town almost empty. Everyone is watching the team on the field with their eyes focused on the baseball scoreboards.

Chattanooga was originally inhabited by the Cherokee Native American tribe. The location near the river offered easy transportation between villages and the people thrived there for hundreds of years. This was also noted by the European settlers that decided to move in, and, over the years, the takeover resulted in the infamous Trail of Tears for the relocation of the Cherokee.

Richmond Virginia is one the nation’s centers for everything historic. The close proximity to the nation’s capital and the participation of so many important historic moments has given the city the ability to be successful in industry and tourism. The Richmond Coliseum plays host to football, baseball and soccer games that are some of the best in the country. It depends on who you are talking to as to which sport is the favorite. Some favor attending the football games while others prefer baseball, with the baseball scoreboards lit with the team colors.

Colonists from English originally arrived in the Richmond area in the early 1600’s. The slow growth was due to the Native Americans inhabiting the area and led to the final founding of the town in 1737. By the late 1700’s, Richmond was embroiled in much of the politics of the day and based its success on agriculture and the slave trade.

Savannah conjures images of gorgeous southern mansions, Spanish moss filled trees and a distinct hospitality of the area. This historic town features an incredible array of architecture, music and the arts, firmly embedded in the traditions of the south. Visitors are overwhelmed by the beauty and the regal demeanor of Savannah and it is an experience that is never forgotten. Savannah is also known for their love of their sports teams. As a city they offer an incredibly choice of professional and college teams as well as minor league baseball. There is an array of fields for baseball games including special attention to the baseball scoreboards.

The city name of Montgomery, Alabama denotes visions as the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speeches for equality. However, Montgomery is also home to some of the best baseball and football games and fans around. Sports fans make sure they attend in record crowds, with the Cranston Bowl stadium packed and the baseball scoreboards as the main focus for each point that's gained. The Montgomery area has its roots that extend back to the colonial days of settlement and is actually built upon the land of two Native American tribes.

If you turn on any sports event or attend any game today, it is hard to believe that African Americans were once banned from most American sports. While they did have their own ‘black teams’, they were not included in the semi pro, pro and national teams. Jackie Robinson, one of the greatest baseball players ever, was the first to break these bonds of segregation and opened the doors for the talent of thousands of African Americans everywhere.

Jackie Robinson was born in 1919 to a very poor single mother. His older brother had come in just behind Jesse Owens in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games with a silver medal and inspired Jackie to go for his dreams. Jackie showed excellence is a variety of sports, including football. He attended University of California in Los Angeles and became the first attendee to cover four different sports and gain all varsity letters.

The softball field of Amherst Regional High School in Massachusetts will have a new electronic scoreboard this coming spring. The scoreboard would have made their coach, Victor Keedy, proud and has been purchased in his memory.

Keedy was devoted to the game and was the baseball and softball team coach at the school. His passing in May, 2010 had a devastating affect on the school, teams and the community. Since his passing, the Hurricane Boosters Club has spent the last two years working with the community, committees and town employees in an effort to get a new electronic scoreboard. The planned memorial tournament in Keedy’s honor turned out to be more than a small success and plans are being made to continue the tournament every year. Additional youth sports benefits are in the works to assist in establishing scholarships for the kids. The booster club has long been a supporter of everything sports for the kids and was a major force behind the success.

Today’s baseball is often a catch up as to who is on what team and who has been transferred. While we all have our favorite teams there are many that have favorite players. It never mattered what team Dave Winfield played with because he was a personal favorite and an all time superstar.

Dave Winfield was born in 1951 in St. Paul Minnesota and his parents divorced when he was three years old. His mother and older brother formed a very close knit and tight bond, supporting and caring for each other in a loving home. Dave held an incredible respect for his mother, who worked to keep their family together. Never going too far from home, Dave and his brother spent a lot of time at the Oxford Playground. It was there that he met the directory of the playground, Bill Peterson. Bill became Dave’s mentor, friend and father-figure and encouraged the boys to play baseball and basketball.

It is a rough road for any athlete to perfect a single sport and very few in the world have the option of becoming the best in two sports. Bo Jackson was one of these rare individuals. His careers in both baseball and football are legendary; and he accomplished it all with a sense of ease. Often described as one of the best athletes in the world, Bo set himself apart by accomplishing a high standard of excellence.

Vincent Edward Jackson (“Bo”) was born in 1962 in Bessemer, Alabama. He was number eight out of a family of ten children and often referred to as “the wild boar hog”. The reason for the reference was simply that he was always getting into unruly trouble. The name evolved to “Bo” and that was what he preferred to go by for the rest of his life. Bo was raised by a single mother, who worked multiple jobs to support her family and Bo was a constant distraction with the trouble he got into and caused. By the time Jackson was thirteen he was forced to change his bad behavior when he had to take on odd jobs to pay for damage he had caused. It was then that he decided to play baseball.

There isn’t a person in the country that doesn’t know the name of Lou Gehrig. A baseball icon that never let the stardom go to his head, he became one of America’s most famous players. His record breaking averages were only overshadowed by the ALS illness that he brought to the forefront of medical attention.

Lou was born in 1903 from hardworking German immigrant parents and of the four children in the family, he was the only survivor. His mother emphasized the importance of a good education and work ethics. Always excellent in sports, he had a football scholarship to Columbia University. However, when baseball scout saw him play, he was brought into the Yankees team.

Almost every school curriculum includes the history of the Olympics and Jim Thorpe is a name that tops the list. Against all odds, Jim Thorpe became an accomplished football and baseball hero as well as an Olympic medal winner. Talented beyond description, Thorpe has been described as the greatest athlete in the world.

Busch Stadium was one of the most attractive stadiums in baseball. Originally constructed as a multi purpose venue, it was the talk of St Louis. Featuring the famous ‘Crown of the Arches’ to compliment the St Louis ‘Gateway Arch’, the stadium became best known as the pride of The Cardinals. The original name that it was given was Civic Center Busch Memorial Stadium, however in 1982 they decided to change the name to it’s now well known ‘Busch Stadium’. The venue was named after the famous family of the team’s ownership, the Anheuser-Busch, Busch Family.

Many people may not know that the famous Tiger Stadium in Detroit started out in 1895 as just a simple ballpark. George Vanderbeck was the then owner of the Detroit Tigers, and built the stadium and called it Bennett Park. It had wooden grandstands and a peaked roof of wood in the outfield with the infield surrounded by bleachers. Ropes were used in some locations to mark off the outfield.

Many changes were made to ‘The Corner’, as it was lovingly coined. From 1911 to 1938 various owners changed, added and enhanced to encourage fans to attend. In 1961, John Fetzer decided to rename the location to Tiger Stadium. It seemed the name brought good luck because from 1968 and 1984, they held the seasons of the World Series championship. The historic feel of the stadium earned the love of the local Detroit fans; and that says a lot, because Detroit fans are some of the most devoted in the country. Roger Maris hit his very first homerun at the stadium.