by Chelsea Ladd
The Paducah Sun
May 7, 2022
Used with permission.
There is a rich, vast, and colorful history behind the iconic Paducah Tilghman baseball jersey. For over 100 years, the Blue Tornado, or “Blue Men” as they were dubbed in a 1980s yearbook, has been a figment in local baseball lore. However, with alumni ranging from former Major League Baseball players to current coaches, the Tilghman pride shown on and off the diamond isn’t faltering.
“The biggest thing for me is making sure our kids know they are Paducah Tilghman,” head coach Tremayne Donald told The Sun in a previous interview. “We are the school, we are. And that’s no disrespect to McCracken County, but they are a new school, and we’ve been around for 100 years.”
Former member of the Paducah Tilghman baseball program and current head coach, Donald wants his present and future members of the program to know the legacy behind the blue and white. On May 11, the program will witness such a legacy as former members, coaches, and staff will be honored for the 105th anniversary of the baseball team against crosstown rival and familiar foe McCracken County.
Former members of the program presented at the historic Brooks Stadium include head coach Bob Troutman and a member of the 1970 state runner-up team, author Dr. Mikel Smith. He wrote Somerset Ball, the story of a young man growing up in the local area during the 1960s.
Former members of the Tornado program that are on Baseball-Reference: Tremayne Donald (St. Louis Cardinals organization from 1989-1992), Steve Finley (Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, and San Diego Padres from 1987-2007), Terry Shumpert (Kansas City Royals, Colorado Rockies, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 1987-2004), David Gourieux (Atlanta Braves organization from 1969-1973), and Bobby Noles (Minnesota Twins/Senators organization from 1952-1953).
Per KHSAA, the Blue Tornado first appeared in the state tournament during the 1958 quarterfinals when Paducah Tilghman fell to Harlan, 3-0. From that moment, the school returned to state for the next season and fell to Manual, 7-0. However, the Paducah Tilghman team, in 1960, brought home the state championship to Paducah after defeating Owensboro in a 7-3 finish.
The 1960 ball club would be the last team from the First Region to bring home a title. Former high school Lone Oak appeared in the state championship game in 1963 but came home as runner-up after the 3-0 loss.
Multiple appearances in the state tournament finally paid off for the Paducah Tilghman program in 1970 when they made it to the final round against Elizabethtown. But, unfortunately, Elizabethtown outscored the Blue Tornado, 6-2.
Another appearance in the final game came in 1974. Although other teams from the First Region made appearances, the Blue Tornado has yearned to return to the highest playing field in Kentucky high school baseball to reclaim a title that was theirs in 1960.
For years, the Paducah Tilghman program struggled to grab a winning record through the 1990s and 2000s. In 2009, the Blue Tornado finished with a winning record, going 16-11 and claiming the Second District runner-up title as Lone Oak won, 11-1. During regional play, Tilghman fell to Marshall County, who went on to play in the state tournament quarterfinals. Things started looking up for Paducah Tilghman in 2013 as talent increased and the guidance of Chris Johnson began. However, the team finished 27-7, falling to Lone Oak’s final program in the First Region championship on May 29, 2013. Despite often heartbreaking seasons, the Tilghman pride shown at every game never stopped. The program continued to bleed blue with a guard dog mentality and a long history to back them.
Johnson and the Tornado fought together until 2020 when Donald took the helm for Paducah Tilghman. However, Donald, who dreamed of coaching his former team for years, had to wait due to a global pandemic, which also resulted in current College Baseball World Series Champion Jackson Fristoe losing his senior season as a Blue Tornado.
Under Donald, the 2021 team went undefeated for their first 15 games, including a title during the 2021 Kentucky 2A Tournament. The first loss came on April 27 against McCracken County at Brooks Stadium. The epic team with names such as former member Justin West, the now second-year seniors John Kiebler, Zion LaGrone, Leyton Patterson, and senior Gage Griggs, only lost four games last season. Two losses came against McCracken, one against Calloway County, and the final during the Second District tournament against St. Mary.
The team that takes the field almost every night this season will have the chance to see former alumni on Wednesday night and learn what it means to wear the school name across their chest.
The program’s current members are 21-4 and ranked No. 35 per MaxPreps in the state of Kentucky, No. 5 in KHSAA RPI, and No. 4 in this week’s Prep Baseball Report Kentucky standings.
In April, the ‘22 Blue Tornado also brought home another title during the Kentucky 2A championship.
Although Paducah Tilghman has three home games left, the team will host McCracken County on the same night as the anniversary. The two have been rivals since the inception of the Mustang baseball program. The Blue Tornado is looking to claim their first win over McCracken County since 2014 on Wednesday night with former players, coaches, family members, and staff in the Brooks Stadium audience.
For more information on attending as an alumnus, former staff member, or coach, don’t hesitate to contact Kevin Kiebler via phone at (270) 331-5535 or email at paducahtilghmanbaseball@gmail.com.