You could say Brent Perry hung up his uniform as a teacher at Adairsville High.

After all, he did retire this year from teaching economics at the school.

But even though teachers are very visible in the community, Perry is much better known as a baseball coach at Adairsville, having spent the past five years helping Eric Bishop build his baseball program there. Before that, he coached baseball at Cass High.

Bishop said a retirement dinner was held last month for Perry as a way to show the community's appreciation as he exits teaching and also to thank him for his support of baseball for decades.

"He's been Mr. Baseball in Bartow County for 30-something years," Bishop said. "His love for the game exceeds anyone I've ever seen."

Bishop said when he started coaching at Adairsville five years ago he asked the veteran coach to join him.

Bishop said a short time later a teaching position opened up and he put Perry to work coaching infielders and as first base coach on game day.

Bishop said Perry has been an asset for the Tigers, just as he was for the Colonels at Cass, where the school named its baseball field -- Perry Park -- for him.

"He's forgotten more about baseball than most folks know," Bishop said, smiling.

Perry said he was appreciative of the retirement dinner given him as he closed his teaching career, but emphasized his coaching future is undecided. "I'm retiring from teaching, but I've not made up my mind about doing that with baseball," he said.

Perry said he has mixed feelings about stepping away from the game, adding one reason he would consider it is simply to open up a spot for the members of the Tigers' talented young coaching staff to fill.

"Sometimes I think they hold back because of me," he said. "If I do get out of it, it will be to make way for them to step up.

"That's what was done for me."

Perry said he simply enjoys coaching and could do so as a volunteer.

He said he enjoys helping young players who are struggling with their game.

"To me, it's therapy being on the baseball field," he said. "Every day you see the kids out here trying to learn something.

"The game is for them," he added. "And the smile on their faces makes me smile sometimes."