By Michael Lindsay
The founder and longtime head coach of Livingston Academy baseball Pat Swallows’ name will forever be enshrined in Hogeye Country as the school’s baseball field was officially named after him during a ceremony Monday afternoon.
“It’s pretty neat, and there’s a lot of people involved in getting to this point,” Swallows said. “It’s a great honor to have this done, and I’m so proud of it. It’s a labor of love; if you love what you’re doing, it’s not work.”
Swallows graduated from Livingston Academy in the 1960s but didn’t play baseball for the Wildcats; LA didn’t have a team yet.
“I graduated from Livingston, and at that time we didn’t have a baseball program,” he said. “After graduation, I came back here and was lucky enough to start a baseball program. I was here off and on for 41 years, and coached for 37 of those. I feel like this is mine. With everybody’s help, we built all of this. I think it’s one of the best baseball fields in the Upper Cumberland.”
Swallows finished his coaching career with a 533-310 record and will officially be inducted into the TSSAA Hall of Fame on April 15.
“Coach Swallows is LA baseball,” said current Wildcat head coach Jamie Loftis. “He’s responsible for everything you see here. He’s coached all the coaches and the players’ dads. I’m tickled any time we have him back here at the field.”
Despite the career achievements, Swallows’ fondest memories come closer to home.
“The boys that played for me had their own moments,” Swallows said. “Those guys coming back and saying ‘thank you’ is more important than anything. I was able to coach my three sons, also. That was special for me; it might’ve been a little tougher for them. Before I left, I had the pleasure of coaching kids that I coached their dads, too.”
