Cecil Joyce, Murfreesboro Daily News Journal Published 6:15 p.m. CT March 12, 2020 | Updated 6:26 p.m. CT March 12, 2020<\/p>\n
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It was summer of 1991.<\/p>\n
Still a young reporter for The Daily News Journal, I was relegated mostly to high school and middle school sports. I had dabbled in Middle Tennessee State sports mostly baseball in the past, but not a lot.<\/p>\n
I didnt like writing about tragedy or death. Being young, naive and shy at the time, I was uncomfortable at the thought of having to interview someone about a loved one dying. <\/p>\n
It was July 25, and I rolled into the office to begin my work day. Being the middle of summer, it probably didnt start out as a busy or eventful day.<\/p>\n
That changed when I had to not only step into an MTSU storyin a pinch, but also do so for one involving tragedy.<\/p>\n
A former Blue Raiders baseball star, Chris Whitehead, had died in an automobile accident in his hometown of Maryville. MTSU coach Steve Peterson was holding a summer youth camp that day and it was likely still going on. I had to rush tointerview him quickly for a story.<\/p>\n
I got to MTSUs baseball field, and it looked deserted. Maybe I had avoided the dreadful assignment.<\/p>\n
But then I saw him. One person, standing alone on Reese Smith Field. On the pitchers mound. It was Coach Pete, as he was always affectionately known.<\/p>\n
I slithered out of the car and onto the field. Probably the slowest Ive ever moved.<\/p>\n
I walked up toward the mound and Peterson was just standing there, head down. As I got near, he looked up and greeted me. My first (and only) response was, Hey, Coach. I guess you know why Im here.<\/p>\n
Coach Pete shook his head and then, without a question needed, started talking about Chris, what he meant to the program and how tragic it was that such a promising baseball player, husband and father had been taken from the world in his early 20s.<\/p>\n
I had everything I needed, and Coach Pete made it much easier for me than I could have imagined. Even in a time of heartbreak, he had the mind-set to make things easier on a young reporter.<\/p>\n
Thats the kind of man Coach Pete was. Thats the kind of coach he was.<\/p>\n
Peterson treated every player who donned a Blue Raiders jersey like they were his own son. He even treated me like that on week-long road trips I would take with the team. He would stay on me as hard as his own players. But I appreciated that.<\/p>\n
Anyone taking the time to read this column knows what a great coach Peterson was. His 791 wins at MTSU (944 overall)are most in school history.<\/p>\n
He was an even better man.<\/p>\n
We lost that great man and coach Wednesday evening, as Peterson died at the age of 68.<\/p>\n
Our talented MTSU writer, Joe Spears, was all over the story when it broke.<\/p>\n
Im still uneasy about interviewing folks after tragedies or death. <\/p>\n
But I would have gladly stepped up for this story. For Coach Pete.<\/p>\n
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Read more:<\/p>\n
Former MTSU baseball coach Steve Peterson was a great coach, better man - Daily News Journal<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Cecil Joyce, Murfreesboro Daily News Journal Published 6:15 p.m. CT March 12, 2020 | Updated 6:26 p.m. CT March 12, 2020 Autoplay Show Thumbnails Show Captions It was summer of 1991. Continue reading