Bob Polston spent countless hours during the golden years of his life at the Halls High School baseball field.

Polston mowed the grass. Worked the pitcher's mound. Dragged the infield. Critiqued the team and his son, Doug, Halls' baseball coach since 1988, while sitting behind the backstop.

Almost until his death last August at age 77, Bob Polston was a fixture at the field, which was dedicated as Bob Polston Field during a ceremony Friday before the Red Devils' 7-6 victory against Morristown East.

"It's a special day for me and my family and this community," Doug Polston said. "The man dedicated over 50 years of his life to the high school youth in this county. This is something the community wanted to do, and if (Bob) knew about it, he'd scoff at it a little bit, but I'm proud of it."

Bob Polston, a 1952 graduate of Joelton High School in Middle Tennessee, spent 21 years coaching football and baseball at East High School, Austin-East High School, and Rule High School. He was KFL Coach of the Year in 1969, '71, '73, and '76.

After his coaching career, Polston served 27 years as athletic director for the Knox County School System before retiring in 2004.

Even before retiring, Polston spent plenty of time around the Halls baseball program and even more time once he retired.

"It's a good thing it happened with them dedicating the field, but there's never going to be another person like Bob," said Zach Lawson, a 2006 Halls graduate and currently assistant baseball coach at Gibbs. "He just meant so much to everybody that's been through here. He was a great person and this is a good thing they did for him."

Among those attending the ceremony were Bob Polston's wife, Dorothy; his sister, Sarah Anderson of Joelton; and his daughter, Kathy Arnold of Strawberry Plains.

Dorothy spent years working in the Halls concession stand while Bob watched from his spot behind the backstop, where a memorial and plaque with his name stands.

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Halls baseball field dedicated to Bob Polston