Club of West Knoxville

Engaged in Service and Growth Future Speakers Bearden Banquet Hall Jan. 10, 2014 - Christopher Coyne,

Mode0f8: Unlocking Potential January 3, 2014 Presiding: Oliver Smith Guests & Visitors: Stuart Anderson Jan. 17, 2014 - Gary Harmon, Challenge Accepted Song & Pledge: Bob Ely Humor: Phil Parkey Invocation: Gary Ricciardi Editor: Charlie Biggs Jan. 24, 2014 - Samantha Lane, Kings University Club Business and Announcements

[Thanks to Skylar Dean for taking notes at the meeting this week]

Gary Ricciardi presented Art Pickle with the Paul Harris +9 Meeting Make-ups Award.

For a list of Knoxville-area Rotary clubs Phil Parkey presented the for makeups and visits, click here. Rotary Moment. The answer was Tom Hall. Steve Chancey guessed. Membership Wayne Underwood, Chair of If you know anyone who might help us the Service Committee, achieve our membership goals for this presented his Board Member year, please bring them to our next Report. Our club service meeting! For more information on how projects include the following: to become a Rotarian, click here. Art Pickle receiving the Paul Harris +9 Award  Flu Shot Saturday - 975 flu from Gary Ricciardi shots were given at this Rotary Links event last year.  The Dictionary Project, our largest project, gives a free dictionary to every 3rd Rotary International grade student in the Knox County Schools. Rotary District 6780  Bell ringing at Dillard's for the Salvation Army. Rotary Club of West Knoxville  Mobile Meals - We started delivering Mobile Meals in 2000. We also made an donation of $1,500 to Mobile Meals, led by Stuart Anderson.  World Rotary Day, Feb 22nd - Our World Rotary Day Project this year will be at Ball Camp Elementary. George Whermaker is organizing this project.  4th Creek Clean Up, led by John Heins.

All together, our service work represents donations of over $12,500 every year.

President Oliver Smith thanked Wayne for his work. He said that all of the Board positions are important, and he thanked members for supporting them.

Rotary Club of West Knoxville 2

R. Larry Smith—U.T. Historian

Bob Boothe introduced our speaker, R. Larry Smith, a member of the Knox County Commission and U.T. basketball historian.

Larry began by noting that the history of U.T. basketball has never been organized, so he is looking for old programs, ticket stubs, etc. to document that history.

Basketball started in 1893. The first year of recorded basketball at UT was 1905, when it was an intermural sport. It became an organized sport in 1908.

At that time, basketball managers were more influential than coaches, since they created the schedule, booked travel by train, and ran most of the day-to-day affairs of the team.

During the first official year of basketball in 1908-1909, the U.T. Team was 2-5. Their opponents included the Tennessee Military Institute in Sweetwater, the Ashville YMCA, and other YMCA’s. At the time, YMCA's, not universities, were the primary organizers of basketball teams. R. Larry Smith spoke to the Club about U.T. The first U.T. gym was called Alumni Gym. It had a much basketball narrower out-of-bounds line and dumbbells along the side. Made out of wood, it burned down. After that, the team The team moved to Thompson Boling Arena in 1987. moved to the downtown YMCA from 1913-1922. During this Thompson Bolling seats 21,678. Since the move, the team has period, they won 85% of their games. won 73% of its games. There were no All American Players until 1950's, but Lum Throughout its history, fifteen U.T. basketball players have Reeder in 1913-1914 was deserving. His father was the sheriff, been named All Americans. Forty-three have gone on to the so during high school he played in the jail yard with the NBA, and two have played in the Olympics. U.T. has beaten prisoners. At U.T. he scored 40 points per game at a time Kentucky more than anyone else. when average team score was around 20. Among the individual team leaders are the following: In 1923 the YMCA burned down and the team moved to Jefferson Hall, which was located at Cumberland Avenue  Herb Neff- most rebounds in game (36 against and 15th Street. From 1923- 1952, the team won 72% of its Tennessee Tech) games. The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference  - most career points. began around that time. In 1946, U.T. refused to play Duke  - best shooting percentage (60%). because one of Duke’s players was African American.  Christ Lofton - most 3- shots (431) In 1953, the team moved to Alumni Hall, and from 1953-1958  Wayne Chism - most blocked shots. they won 82% percent of their games. Larry owns the floor, benches, etc. from this period. He also has a copy of the first scored 41 points in his first game. One of King’s teammates and close friends . Both magazine devoted to basketball, Converse Magazine, which started in the 1920s. came from New York, and their experience playing at U.T. in the 1970s is the subject of an upcoming ESPN special, Starting in 1958, the team played at the Stokely Athletics “Bernie and Ernie.” Center, which was originally called the U.T. Armory- Fieldhouse. On December 1, 1960, they played their only Larry concluded his overview of U.T. basketball history by double header, with back to back games against East citing the words of celebrated NBA coach . Riley Tennessee State and U.T. Chattanooga. From 1966-1987 Ray had played at Kentucky in the 1960s, and many years later, Mears was the coach. when he was coaching the Los Angeles Lakers, he still remembered that it was hard to win at Stokely. Larry pointed out that U.T. hasn't always been a football school. The “Big Orange Country” slogan was invented by .

Rotary Club of West Knoxville 3 Club Business (continued) ABC’s of Rotary

Tom Daughtrey announced that he has met with Knoxville District 6780 has posted a new video entitled “Why Rotary” Visits, which puts together marketing material for festivals that is designed to capture the essence of Rotary. You can and other events. They should be a big ally for the BBQ this watch the video here or by clicking on the image below. year. The next BBQ meeting with be on January 17th at Pinnacle Bank. For more information, contact Tom.

Gary Ricciardi announced that our club average for the Polio Plus Fundraising Campaign is $32.50/member. We need an average donation of $40/member to be recognized as a Polio Eradicator club again. There are still quite a few members who have not donated. To make a donation, contact Gary.

Members of our Club will attend the next meeting of the new Roteract Club on January 7th at Brixx Kingston Pike to Please watch this video and then share it with your friends present their Rotary banner. and colleagues to create a greater awareness of Rotary. You can also use it to educate a prospective member about President Oliver Smith closed the meeting with a quote Rotary. Please consider adding it to your own Facebook from Alexander Smith: page as well.

Memory is a man’s real possession. in noting else is he rich, in nothing else is he poor

"The World's Greatest Meal to Fight Polio"

Rotary International is asking Rotarians, friends of Rotarians, Rotaractors, neighbors, and others to come together in a meal to raise funds for the PolioPlus Campaign. The meals will take place during Rotary Week, the week of February 23rd.

It could be a frugal meal with funds going to the cause, it could be a Club meal where donations could be made. Or it could be any meal where people meet to raise or contribute funds.

At the end of the day we want everyone worldwide who participates to have fun and enjoy themselves while helping children from getting this dreaded disease.

For more information, contact Susanne Rea at [email protected].