A RESOLUTION to Honor University of Tennessee Football Broadcasters Bill Anderson and John Ward on the Occasion of Their Retirement
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Filed for intro on 01/12/99 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 10 By Cooper A RESOLUTION to honor University of Tennessee Football broadcasters Bill Anderson and John Ward on the occasion of their retirement. WHEREAS, for thirty-one years Bill Anderson and John Ward have delighted Tennesseans with their classic broadcasts of University of Tennessee football games; their voices have resonated through the hearts and minds of the avid Volunteer faithful from Mountain City to Memphis; and WHEREAS, it was with profound sadness that Vol fans throughout the land of Orange recently learned of the impending retirement of these two beloved men from the Vol Network, who are considered to be the pre-eminent color analyst and play-by-play announcer, respectively, of their time; and WHEREAS, since 1968, beginning with the now classic 17-17 tie with Georgia, this Tennessee tandem has provided millions of UT fans with three decades of unforgettable memories; and WHEREAS, their immense popularity as the longest running and perhaps best known radio team in college football has propelled the Vol Network to become one of the nation's largest college networks; and WHEREAS, the Network's 85-plus affiliates which broadcast from five states, have provided blanket coverage across the state of Tennessee and a nighttime penetration of 28 states; and WHEREAS, the widespread popularity of John Ward and Bill Anderson is best reflected by the fact that before each home game a swarm of Orange-clad Tennessee fans blanket a SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 10 000394 -1- portion of "The Hill" on the UT campus at the site of the duo's popular "Kickoff Call-In Show"; and WHEREAS, for over three decades Mr. Anderson and Mr. Ward have excelled at the art of transforming a Tennessee football broadcast into a "happening" across the state; a three- hour game has become a six-hour Big Orange extravaganza; and WHEREAS, John Ward began his illustrious career by providing play-by-play commentary for his fraternity's intramural games on a tape recorder, and as a UT student, he earned extra money moonlighting as a radio play-by-play announcer while covering high school football games for The Knoxville Journal; and WHEREAS, John received his law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1954 and began announcing and selling advertising for radio on a full-time basis. His first broadcast of a UT basketball game came in 1958, and after a stint in the Army he returned to Knoxville to work at an advertising agency; and WHEREAS, John Ward's broadcasting career blossomed when he became the Vols' broadcaster, first for basketball in 1965 and three years later for football. In addition to his radio duties, he has also served with acumen as announcer-host-coordinator for the UT coaches' television shows in both sports; and WHEREAS, he has served as the communications link between the University of Tennessee and millions of sports fans for a generation. His melodious tones, flawless diction and precise descriptions have painted a vivid picture of Volunteer football and basketball games through the years; and WHEREAS, as testament to John Ward's extraordinary abilities, he has been named Tennessee Sportscaster of the Year 27 times, was named Best College Announcer in the country in 1976 by Nationwide Publications of Los Angeles, was a recipient of the Amateur Football Award by the East Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation, and was recently recognized in Sports Illustrated for his popularity and flair; and - 2 - 00039447 WHEREAS, widely respected and admired by his peers, he has contributed his time and remarkable talents to the betterment of his profession through his service as president of the Southeastern Conference Broadcasters Association; he has been inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame; and WHEREAS, in 1968, Bill Anderson was selected as a color analyst for the Vol Network, arriving with impeccable credentials as a former co-captain of Tennessee's 1957 football team under the late Bowden Wyatt; and WHEREAS, he was a member of Tennessee's 1956 SEC championship team and played on Volunteer teams that amassed a 24-7-1 record from 1955-57. After a standout career as an end for the Vols, Bill played in the 1958 Senior Bowl and was later drafted by the Washington Redskins of the NFL, with whom he played from 1958-63; and WHEREAS, Bill retired briefly from football to become UT's offensive ends coach in 1964 under first-year coach Doug Dickey. The following year he returned to the NFL to join the Green Bay Packers under legendary head coach Vince Lombardi, who captured an NFL championship in 1965 and won Super Bowl I in 1966; and WHEREAS, following his stint in the NFL, Bill Anderson returned to Tennessee, and at Coach Dickey's and former UT athletic director Bob Woodruff's recommendation, he was teamed with John Ward as an analyst on the Vol Network; and WHEREAS, a member of both the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame, Bill's knowledge and insight of the game has provided Tennessee fans with a unique perspective rarely witnessed in gridiron circles; and WHEREAS, this football season has been especially gratifying for John and Bill as the Vols have compiled a 12-0 record and number-one ranking en route to a showdown against Florida State University in the Fiesta Bowl for the College Football National Championship; and WHEREAS, Bill Anderson and John Ward have become so deeply interwoven into the fabric of Tennessee football that their legendary calls are as much a part of UT lore as General - 3 - 00039447 Robert E. Neyland, checkerboard end zones, and the blare of Rocky Top from the Pride of the Southland Band; and WHEREAS, Tennessee fans will deeply miss these remarkable gentlemen and their astute broadcasts, and are truly privileged to have witnessed their extraordinary success; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, That we extend to John Ward and Bill Anderson our best wishes for a happy and fulfilling retirement and extend to them our best wishes for every future success. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That appropriate copies of this resolution be prepared for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copies. - 4 - 00039447.