WCTE PBS will air a new episode of One on One with Becky Magura featuring local Cookeville resident Morris Irby. In this episode, Irby takes viewers back in time by sharing his experiences growing up in Cookeville, attending college on a baseball scholarship and his global travels working for a local fortune 500 company.
Irby doesn’t let a day go by without thinking of the opportunity he’s had in his lifetime and how giving back is a key part of his life. One recent opportunity included being a part of the WCTE’s Stories from the Stage, where Irby told his story of being the first African American player and scholarship recipient on the Tennessee Tech University baseball team and where he still is ranked in the top ten for most runs scored and most bases stolen. He holds undergraduate and master’s degrees from TTU. Following college, he served two years in the Army and then worked for Cummins (formerly Fleetguard) for 39 years.
Since retiring in 2012, Irby has enjoyed traveling with his wife, Linda Irby, to whom he’s been married for 48 years. He also stays busy attending community events, serving on local boards and giving back to this community he loves dearly. Irby has served on the WCTE Board of Directors, IMPACT board, NAACP, and many other community boards.
“It was a thrill to sit down with the Morris Irby, a long-time friend and board member of WCTE to learn from his words of wisdom,” said Becky Magura, WCTE’s President & CEO.
Morris Irby’s story and many others like this can be found on demand at wcte.org by searching One on One with Becky Magura.

