Remembering the Legend: George “Cobb” Riddle

Published 9:03 am Monday, August 15, 2022

BY C.Y. Peters

Star Correspondent

George “Cobb” Riddle grew up in Black Bottom and competed in more titles than the New York Yankees. At the age of nine Riddle laced up his boots and stepped into the ring for the first time. That was 1959 and by 1965 he was under the leadership of trainer Don Marshall and headed to Kansas City for the Golden Glove quarterfinals. He was a seven-time Golden Glove champion and six-time East Tennessee Champion.

    After thirty years as a boxer, Riddle took up training. He worked with several world champions like Pan-Am medalist Bernard Taylor who won three golden gloves in the 1976 Olympics and also worked with Big John Tate, world champion. Gary Sandman Stallworth was one of Riddle’s boxers who was in the main event at the greatest showplace in America, Madison Square Garden.

Riddle has been in the corners of fighters seen on HBO specials and ESPN. He organized and coached boxing teams in Rhea County and Spring City Tennessee, building champions in both towns.

 He trained at the Boys and Girls Clubs for a number of years and was always at the old National Guard building promoting and training young men to become boxers. His technique was golden. Riddle was also a Little league baseball coach and coached several All-Star teams during his career. He loved playing softball at the old Cherokee Park in Elizabethton, a place he called home.

George “Cobb” Riddle passed away at 73 in 2016.