Dave Osborne came to Maryville College from Easton, Pennsylvania, following in the steps of his brother who played football at MC. His sites were set on excelling on the baseball diamond and taking advantage of the East Tennessee warm weather. The weather may not have cooperated, but Dave sure did leave his mark on the baseball program.
This unbelievable athlete was just what Coach Henry and Coach Stinnett were looking for as a pillar and foundation to vault the Scots toward regional and national success.
Osborne started on the diamond for four seasons and played three different positions. He excelled in right field, centerfield, behind the plate, and was even called upon as a reliever on the mound.
In the fall of 1976, Dave used his athleticism to swim and play club soccer for the Scots. He was a competitive swimmer as a youth but never took to the pitch before his days in the orange and garnet. He used these experiences to keep himself in shape for the upcoming spring.
During the spring of 1977, Dave was the only freshman to have earned a starting role while roaming right field. He remembers his first collegiate at-bat as if it were yesterday. On March 25th he stepped into the batter’s box in Lookout Stadium to challenge UT-Chattanooga in a sun-drenched professional stadium. He started every game on a squad that produced only the second 20-win season in MC’s then 101 year history. MC’s 20-12 mark helped propel the Scots to their second NCAA post-season tournament in school history and the feet has yet to be reached since then by any Scots diamond squad.
David passionately remembers a team loaded with upperclassmen Moffet, Hannah, and Bailey.
Osborne hit at a .317 clip and was lauded for his speed and defensive skills. He threw out nine runners from the outfield with at least one assist at each base throughout the season. His efforts earned him All-Area Team honors.
David remembers 1977 with the excitement a new leader brings to a program. Bill Henry took over for Boydson Baird after Baird led the baseball program for 17 seasons. New uniforms, new attitude and an aggressive approach in all aspects of the game played into Osborne’s strengths.
He and teammates Danny Thomas, Barry Mathis, Jimmy Reese, and Tony Ierulli were the epitome of student-athletes over their careers at MC. Hard working, intelligent, fiercely competitive, and true winners were all consistent descriptors of the Scots Diamondmen for the next three seasons.
Osboune’s .317 inaugural season was the lowest of his four-year stint. His 1978 and 1979 squads combine to win 27 games with a young and thin pitching staff. Osborne hauled in anything hit in his direction whether he was assigned to right or centerfield. He increased his productivity with the bat and looked forward to his senior season.
In the fall of 1979, MC Head Football Coach Steve Fickert encouraged David to walk-on the football team as a punter during his senior season. He promptly booted for a 36 yard average throughout the season and helped the Scots to a 7-2 record with key wins over Carson-Newman, Bridgewater, Emory & Henry, Lane, Rhodes, Washington & Lee, and Centre.
“Coach Fickert would continually preach PMA-Positive mental Attitude, stated Osborne. “That phrase, that belief, is something that I took away from my Maryville College experience and used throughout my military career and in my team building programs.”
During his senior season on the diamond, David sorely missed the great weather he had hoped for when moving south. The combination of poor weather and little pitching made for a long season although Osborne hit .400 for his highest average as a Scot.
His standout performance came in his career finale against The University of Tennessee. The previous three seasons MC had a couple of one-run losses to the Vols and David’s senior squad wanted to prove they could play with the big boys. Coach Henry moved the outfielder behind the plate to help MC contain UT’s running game. Their leadoff hitter Jimmy Streater (also an All-SEC quarterback) was ready to use his speed against the Scots. Following a walk, Osborne promptly threw out the “Silva Streak” and MC’s confidence grew. David would continue to put on his own display of speed that game stealing an early school record of five bases and finished the year with a new school record of 28 base thefts for the season. “It was a wonderful day,” stated Osborne. “But I would have traded it in a minute to change the headlines the next day to ‘Scots beat the Vols.”
Subsequently his efforts were noticed and he was invited to a pair of professional tryout camps before the June draft.
Upon his four-year stint with Maryville, David enlisted in the Army and came up through the ranks while serving nearly 24 years as an Infantry Airborne Ranger, retiring as a Colonel in 2004.
David concluded his educational studies at Columbus State University in Georgia. He earned his Master’s Degree from The United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
As an officer, David was selected for the Presidential Honor Guard in Washington and participated in two Presidential Inaugurations. He was selected for the Army’s prestigious Douglas MacArthur Leadership award and had the distinct pleasure of personally meeting three presidents-George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter.
His career moved him and his family 18 times during his tenure with the military, but he was proudly supported by his wife Belinda, son Taylor, and daughter Shelby.
In 2006, David started his own business and is currently the CEO of Team Leader, Incorporated, a company which focuses on organizational development through experiential training. From the sports fields to the battlefields, Dave has hones his leadership and team building skills to bring real life experiences to his clients.
In addition to his 27 military medals and numerous accolades within his military service, We are excited to give you one more distinction. David Osborne, Welcome to the 2011 Class of the Maryville College Wall of Fame.
