9/14/1968 - 50 years ago

#1

Thunder Good-Oil

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#1
Friday, 9/14/2018, is the 50th anniversary of:

TN 17
GA 17

TN scored 8 points with no time on the game clock to "beat" Georgia on national TV.

John Ward's and Bill Anderson's first broadcast.

The first game on artificial turf at Neyland Stadium. "Tartan Turf, Doug's Rug"

The new east side upper deck.

Lester McClain's first game as a Tennessee Volunteer.

First game versus Georgia in 31 years.
 
#3
#3
Tom Mattingly:

A record crowd showed up, buoyed by the new east side upper deck that added 6,307 seats, making total stadium capacity 64,429.

As for the game itself, it all came down to one of the great drives in Tennessee history, as Wyche led the Vols, trailing 17-9, to the north end against the clock and a resolute Georgia defense, led by Bill Stanfill, Billy Payne and Jake Scott.

With Wyche throwing a touchdown pass to Kreis and a two-point conversion toss to DeLong, the Vols scored eight points after time had expired to steal a 17-17 deadlock.
 
#5
#5
Friday, 9/14/2018, is the 50th anniversary of:

TN 17
GA 17

TN scored 8 points with no time on the game clock to "beat" Georgia on national TV.

John Ward's and Bill Anderson's first broadcast.

The first game on artificial turf at Neyland Stadium. "Tartan Turf, Doug's Rug"

The new east side upper deck.

Lester McClain's first game as a Tennessee Volunteer.

First game versus Georgia in 31 years.



i remember that game well. I caught the second half from the Ft Sanders nursery.
 
#7
#7
I remember the game well, growing up only 1/4 mile from the Georgia line in Chattanooga, bragging rights were very important among my Georgia constituents and friends.

I also remember how good LB Lester McLain was for Tennessee, one of the few black players that donned the Orange and White In 1968.
Around that time I played baseball for Tennessee Plywood in the summer and played against a future Vol standout QB named Bobby Scott from Rossville Ga.
 
#8
#8
I remember the game well, growing up only 1/4 mile from the Georgia line in Chattanooga, bragging rights were very important among my Georgia constituents and friends.

I also remember how good LB Lester McLain was for Tennessee, one of the few black players that donned the Orange and White In 1968.
Around that time I played baseball for Tennessee Plywood in the summer and played against a future Vol standout QB named Bobby Scott from Rossville Ga.

Lester McClain was TN's first black football player. He was a split end/WR. Jackie Walker was a LB that played for TN a year or two later.
 
#10
#10
[VIDEO=]
Lester McClain was TN's first black football player. He was a split end/WR. Jackie Walker was a LB that played for TN a year or two later.



[/VIDEO]


My bad, you are indeed correct, I was thinking of Jackie Walker the LB, he was a head hunter, but both Walker and McLain were outstanding football players for the Vols.
Just a few years later a friend of mine became a star at UT, his name was Chip Kell a two time all American if I remember correctly
 
#12
#12
My freshman year. It felt like a loss, because we should have won the game, but it was also a relief, as it appeared we would lose.
 
#13
#13
My bad, you are indeed correct, I was thinking of Jackie Walker the LB, he was a head hunter, but both Walker and McLain were outstanding football players for the Vols.
Just a few years later a friend of mine became a star at UT, his name was Chip Kell a two time all American if I remember correctly

Yes, Chip Kell was indeed a 2-time All American. He's also one of Tennessee's 28 inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame. He played on TN's OL in 1968-1970. He also threw the shot put on Chuck Rohe's UT track teams. Several other members of the 1968 team were also on the track team. Richmond Flowers was a hurdler and Karl Kremser was a high jumper. Rohe and Dickey worked together to bring high level recruits to TN.
 
#15
#15
Speaking of Jackie Walker, he was a freshman on that 1968 team. Two-time All-American. 5 interceptions returned for TDs is still an NCAA record. First black team captain in the history of the SEC. His teammates voted for him over Phil Fulmer in 1971.

1969 likely had TN's best ever group of linebackers. Steve Kiner, Hacksaw Reynolds, Jackie Walker.

Jackie Walker came from Fulton High School. He's one of the best players to ever wear a TN uniform. Very underrated Volunteer.
 
#17
#17
Yes, Chip Kell was indeed a 2-time All American. He's also one of Tennessee's 28 inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame. He played on TN's OL in 1968-1970. He also threw the shot put on Chuck Rohe's UT track teams. Several other members of the 1968 team were also on the track team. Richmond Flowers was a hurdler and Karl Kremser was a high jumper. Rohe and Dickey worked together to bring high level recruits to TN.


Chip Kell married a good friend of mine’s sister Linda Crook and I got to be good friends with Chip. We would often cook out and run around together in the summer months. Linda’s brother, Johnny and I played baseball together in the Tri- State baseball league and grew up just down the street from each other.
 
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#18
#18
Chip Kell married a good friend of mine’s sister Linda Crook and I got to be good friends with Chip. We would often cook out and run around together in the summer months. Linda’s brother, Johnny and I played baseball together in the Tri- State baseball league and grew up just down the street from each other.
I remember thinking he was huge at the time because he was about 250 pounds.
 
#19
#19
I remember thinking he was huge at the time because he was about 250 pounds.


Chip was huge but short maybe 5’9” or so, I was around 6’ and Chip was shorter than me, but today he would be considered small.

Another player that wasn’t all that tall that played for UT was Jimmy Noonan, if you remember him.
 
#21
#21
I was there but in the south end zone. Couldn’t see DeLong’s catch but heard the roar of the crowd.
 
#22
#22
I saw the Georgia Tech game in Atlanta that year with my dad. I think remember Lester catching a great TD pass, if my memory is correct. I was 12.
 
#23
#23
Speaking of Jackie Walker, he was a freshman on that 1968 team. Two-time All-American. 5 interceptions returned for TDs is still an NCAA record. First black team captain in the history of the SEC. His teammates voted for him over Phil Fulmer in 1971.
Jackie is in my top 5 of my favorite players. He was awesome and not very big either.
1969 likely had TN's best ever group of linebackers. Steve Kiner, Hacksaw Reynolds, Jackie Walker.

Jackie Walker came from Fulton High School. He's one of the best players to ever wear a TN uniform. Very underrated Volunteer.
 
#24
#24
Chip was huge but short maybe 5’9” or so, I was around 6’ and Chip was shorter than me, but today he would be considered small.

Another player that wasn’t all that tall that played for UT was Jimmy Noonan, if you remember him.
Sure do. Did Chip wrestle too, or am I confused? I remember him and the shot put.
 
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