A look back at the career of coach Roy Lattimore

After Roy Lattimore retired from coaching Petaluma High School baseball for 18 years, Argus-Courier columnist Harlan Osborne looked back on the career of the legendary Trojan baseball coach.|

EDITOR’S NOTE: Former Petaluma High School baseball coach Roy Lattimore died on Jan. 1. Following is a story from the Argus-Courier archives about the legendary baseball coach written by Argus-Courier columnist Harlan Osborne.

If it hadn’t have been for his talent for playing baseball, Roy Lattimore might not have attended college. And, if his wife didn’t have relatives in Sonoma, he might not have ended up teaching and coaching sports at Petaluma High School. And, if it hadn’t been for his fairness and encouraging mild-mannered approach to both teaching and coaching, he might not have become one of the all-time favorites of his students whether they were academically inclined or sports minded.

But everything seemed to fall into place for Lattimore, if not exactly the way he envisioned it as a youngster, a perfect fit for both he and his family, and for Petaluma High where he taught social studies, sophomore orientation and world history for 32 years, coached baseball for 22 seasons, and boys B-class basketball and girls JV basketball for five years each.

“You learn how to handle the kids. You’ve got to have the respect for them; they’re not all the same. It’s so rewarding, both in the classroom and in sports, to see a light go on and you know you’re reaching them,” said Lattimore, who grew up in Bakersfield and planned on becoming a tradesman until the Bakersfield Junior College baseball coach invited him to play second base for the team. That led to Fresno State College, where he majored in physical education, and where he met his future wife, Louise, whom he married in 1955.

Lattimore wanted to coach baseball, particularly at Bakersfield High, but after a stint in the Army and a couple of years teaching in Caruthers (Fresno County), he joined the faculty at Petaluma High as a teacher and varsity baseball coach in the fall of 1960. In the classroom, he was authoritative but low key. In Driver’s Education class discipline wasn’t necessary since all the kids wanted to pass the class to get their driver’s permits.

His 18-year tenure as head baseball coach began in the spring of 1961. There were no assistant coaches to help him, and most of his players hadn’t had any formal instruction. He carried about 18 players and stressed fundamentals.

“It was a big job, really too much for one guy,” recalled Lattimore, whose first team finished 6-10.

For the next six seasons, Lattimore’s Trojans were either first or second in league play, winning 41 of 53 games and capturing four championship banners. In 1965, despite finishing with a 17-4-1 overall record, and with future major leaguer Joe Decker on the mound, Petaluma finished second to Analy, whose pitcher threw three no-hitters that year and out-dueled Decker two of three times. Decker later hurled nine seasons for the Cubs, Twins and Mariners.

“Decker was in the right place at the right time,” Lattimore said of his former ace. “Since then, I’ve had players that have shown more potential, but were disappointing because they didn’t achieve it.”

Two other memorable teams stand out. In 1967, the Trojans went 17-3, 9-1 in league, and captured the prestigious Tournament of Champions, and in 1972 the 22-5, 10-2 league champs won the challenging Redding Tournament. Overall, Lattimore guided his teams to a 224-170-2 record, 115-84 in league play, and won seven championships.

“I’m glad I didn’t teach P.E. because I really enjoyed my time in the classroom, and I’m thankful I didn’t go back to Bakersfield,” said Lattimore, who retired in 1993, one year before his wife retired after teaching at Liberty School for 27 years. He returned to baseball from 1996-99 to assist coach Jack O’Conner when his grandson, Chris Lattimore, joined the team.

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