Remembering the Legends: Darrell (Pappy) Crowe
Published 2:20 pm Monday, October 3, 2022
- Pappy Crowe
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BY C.Y. Peters
Star Correspondent
Darrell Pappy Crowe grew up along the ball fields and was a batboy for the Mountain home in the early 40s at only four years old. He attended Johnson City schools and was a Science Hill graduate where he was a point guard for the Hilltoppers basketball team. Crowe also was a graduate of E.T.S.U. He became a teacher and a coach and coaching was a passion that stayed with him his entire life.
Crowe was the Big Seven coach of the year in 1968 coaching the Elizabethton High baseball team that went 24-6 that season and went 48-17 in the two seasons. He was also an assistant basketball coach to John Treadway.
He then travels to Cocke County for six years coaching boys (6 years)and girls (5 years) basketball teams. At Cocke County, he won 161 games and lost only 37 while winning three District championships. His girls’ teams won 110 games and lost 27 but won 23 straight games without a loss and won two district titles.
Crowe was a TSSAA official and he called all sports. He would walk on the football field in August, then basketball till March and baseball until late July or early August and start over again. He took so many young boys to the Dizzy Dean World Series in Southhaven Mississippi. His teams were almost always in the top three and even won a couple of Worlds Series. Some of his players have gone on to play professional baseball, football and basketball.
Crowe coached a majority of talented players during five decades of travel baseball in Dizzy Dean and Babe Ruth baseball.
I never recall ever hearing pappy say anything bad about any of his players and never knew him to have any words with a parent. He put the best players in the best positions that they could play. He only had to watch you play one time and he knew if you were a shortstop or an outfielder.
In 2015 Pappy was made an Honorary member of the Carter County Sports Hall of Fame. Sadly Pappy Crowe passed away in April of 2014.
