BusinessTN

Dr. Jack Freeman had a dream—to house the National Horseshoe Pitchers Hall of Fame in Middle Tennessee. He had begun to make this dream a reality, donating property in Joelton, including outdoor courts, to the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association. But this dream looks to be slipping away, following the sudden death of the local pathologist 18 months ago.

With a lifelong affection for the sport of horseshoes, Freeman created a facility in early 1991 outside Joelton that housed 10 indoor horseshoe courts. This made it possible to keep playing in the winter months without having to warm horseshoes and hands. A couple of years later, the facility expanded to 18 courts with restrooms, a conference room, offices and storage. It became the largest indoor horseshoe facility in the Southeast. Freeman’s dreams grew along with the facility—perhaps the World Championship of Horseshoe Pitching could be held there someday?

To that end, Freeman, an owner of Nashville Pathology Associates, donated 58 acres of his own land for the purpose of building a permanent home for the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association Hall of Fame. The land included 20 outdoor courts. Freeman was given the role of caretaker of the property while still owning the indoor facility. After years of promoting a game that he loved, horseshoe pitcher Freeman, 69, died of a heart attack in late 2003. The Hall of Fame had yet to be finished.

With his death, the property shut down, pending decisions based on estate settlement. The dispute over the property, once deemed by Freeman horseshoe pitching’s premier destination, caused the National Horseshoe Pitchers Foundation to look elsewhere for its Hall of Fame site. “A move away from Joelton is being talked about,” concedes Dave Loucks, foundation president, “but, at this time, is not a certainty.” Loucks cites the inactivity of the property and lack of an active horseshoe club as substantial negatives to remaining in Joelton.

One leading contender for the site is in St. Charles County, outside of St. Louis, and would have 18 to 24 indoor courts, with a few more outdoors. “The NHPF directors are considering a proposal from Missouri which, if undertaken, would be bittersweet,” Loucks says. “We’d be leaving the premier pitching complex in the country that has virtually no organized pitching activity in the area to build a new complex in the county of the largest horseshoe club in the country.”

Though the estate eventually settled on selling the property to the NHPF, it now appears that a lack of local pitching enthusiasts will bring Freeman’s dream to a sudden end. Not only might the Hall of Fame be moving, but the Freeman Courts could disappear entirely. The foundation would look to sell the property since it is not useful as a location for the Hall of Fame. This “premier pitching complex” could be found more useful as land for a residential development or a horse farm. “Without some horseshoe pitcher like Dr. Freeman coming forth to purchase the Joelton complex, if we were to put it on the market, it’s likely that another owner would find a different use for the property,” Loucks surmises.

Dr. Freeman’s passion for the game help put Joelton on the map for horseshoes. Unfortunately, in his absence, it doesn’t look like the town will be able to stay there.