A RESOLUTION to Specially Honor and Commend John Ward and Bill
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Filed for intro on 03/04/99 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 127 By Goins A RESOLUTION to specially honor and commend John Ward and Bill Anderson who are retiring after 31 legendary years as the University of Tennessee radio network football and basketball announcer. WHEREAS, when it is once again "Football Time In Tennessee" on September 4, 1999 when our beloved national champion, University of Tennessee Volunteers, take the field at historic Neyland Stadium to begin the successful defense of that title playing Wyoming, a familiar voice, that of John Ward who has retired as the Vol radio network football, will be sadly missed. This voice has thrilled and delighted the faithful fans for 31 wonderful years and one that each person whose blood runs BIG ORANGE has come to rely on for expertise and insight; and WHEREAS, we are also deeply saddened that he will retire his basketball duties at the end of the current season; and WHEREAS, John began his illustrious announcing career, providing commentary for his fraternity intramural games and insightful thoughts for high school football games for the Knoxville Journal, while a student at Tennessee; and WHEREAS, Mr. Ward received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Tennessee and his law degree from UT in 1954, and started announcing and selling radio advertisements; and HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 127 003643 -1- WHEREAS, John's historic first broadcast of a UT basketball game came in 1958, and, after a brief time in the United States Army, he returned to Knoxville and worked in an advertising agency; and WHEREAS, his distinguished career as the University of Tennessee basketball announcer began in 1965 and three years later, he started as the Vols football announcer; and WHEREAS, under John's great guidance, the Vol Network has grown from 63 stations to more than 85 stations; and WHEREAS, his sidekick for those 31 memorable years has been Bill Anderson, who is also retiring; and WHEREAS, Ed Balloff, a LaFollette native, transported John Ward to most of these games; and WHEREAS, at the time of their retirement, John and Bill were the longest-running and most beloved announcers in the history of collegiate football; and WHEREAS, each of the football games has been preceded by their informative and popular "Kick-off Call-in Show" and, after the game, John hosted the highly regarded "Coaches Show"; and WHEREAS, in addition to his radio duties, John has also served admirably as the announcer-host-coordinator for the University of Tennessee Coaches' television shows; and WHEREAS, he has also covered sports events for ABC-TV and ESPN; and WHEREAS, John's eloquent and precise diction has made games come alive for each listener, making them feel they had tickets on the 50 yard line; and WHEREAS, in addition to the 1999 National Championship, highlights of his brilliant football announcing career include: six Southeastern Conference titles in 1969, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1997 and 1998; twenty-one bowl appearances on the Vol Network including the impressive 35-7 Tennessee victory against Miami in 1986; Alabama 24-0 in 1970 and 35-28 in - 2 - 00364326 1982; Notre Dame 40-18 in 1970 and 35-34 in 1991; and their defeat of Auburn 38-20 in 1985; and WHEREAS, familiar phrases initiated by John Ward include: "6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Give Him Six Touchdown Tennessee"; "Its Football Time in Tennessee", "The kick is up Ladies and Gentlemen, That Kick is G-O-O-D!"; "Did he make it? HE MADE IT!" and "Winding, Grinding, Twisting, Turning, Diving" in football and "Bottoms" in basketball have become as well known to the Vol legions as the lyrics to "Rocky Top"; and WHEREAS, it was very appropriate that the final football game announced by John was the National Championship Fiesta Bowl; and WHEREAS, the humble John Ward, who referred to his announcing duties as a "hobby" not a "job", has set a high standard of unparalleled excellence for his profession, serving as a role model; and WHEREAS, his outstanding record and service have won him many accolades and the deep admiration of his profession. He was selected Tennessee Sportscaster of the Year an unparalleled 27 times; Nationwide Publications of Los Angeles named him their 1976 "Best Collegiate Announcer"; received the prestigious Amateur Football Award from the East Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation; received the inaugural Lindsey Nelson Collegiate Broadcaster of the Year Award in 1988, and was recently honored in a special Sports Illustrated article for his popularity and flair; and WHEREAS, John is a member of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame. In 1995, the John Ward Broadcast Center at Neyland Stadium was named in his honor; and WHEREAS, John Ward is the loving husband of Barbara; and WHEREAS, Doug Dickey, University of Tennessee Athletic Director, has said, "You've heard about people who are legends in their own time, but no one has become more of a beloved legend in his own time than John Ward"; and - 3 - 00364326 WHEREAS, it is fitting that we pause to salute John Ward and Bill Anderson for their countless contributions to college athletics and the University of Tennessee; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE CONCURRING, That we honor and commend John Ward and Bill Anderson and wish them much continued success. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That, on behalf of "Big Orange" fans and every person who loves collegiate sports, we express our deep and heartfelt appreciation to them; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we "give him six" rounds of applause and join the loud chorus shouting a hearty "Touchdown Tennessee"; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That "Smokey" barks his strong approval to these sentiments; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared for presentation with the final three clauses omitted from such copy. - 4 - 00364326.