Did anyone attend the first night game in Neyland?

#4
#4
mmmjtx said:
We jumped on Penn St that night 21-0, and held on to win 28-21. I just remember it a very festive atmosphere, since this was a first.
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Very cool!! I was wondering what tailgating, the Strip, etc. would have been like before and after the game.
 
#7
#7
I was over in England and didn't know what tn football was just socccer. I bet it was neat.
 
#9
#9
The first night game was played on September 16, 1972. My first year in the PRIDE at UT was the fall of 1976. There were some band members from the '72 year still marching. I heard one of them say it was so LOUD when the band started pregame that first night that they could not hear themselves or their neighbor playing on the field. One said it was almost scary!

I'm surprised UT got Penn State to come for that first night game in 1972 since they were just at Neyland less than a year earlier on December 4, 1971. How did we get a program like Penn State to come here twice in a 2 year span? Anyone know that story?
 
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#11
#11
I was a UT student and there for that first game at night. It was surreal. Joe Paterno was Penn State's coach then and looked the same as he did today. Penn State had John Capelletti, who would win the Heisman the following year plus a very good QB named Hufnagel who almost lead them back.

I forget if I had a date for the game or what she looked like, but with the passing years memories of those gals, with their bee-hive hairdo's, tend to blur...... with the help of the post game kegs that we used to put away celebrating a Vol victory back then (naturally we did the same to console after a loss also).
 
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#12
#12
Basically Bob Woodruff, AD at the time, was trying to get Penn St to Knoxville for a second game. Joe Pa said no because it was too hot in Septmeber. I think finally Joe Pa agreed to come to Knoxville, but only if the game was at night. This was around April or May of 1972. He did not think that Tenn would have lights in time. Bob Woodruff agreed to the condition. Then Bob Woodruff begged, borrowed , and stole (metaphor), and opening of the season, Neyland had lights. Penn St had to come down, and the rest, as they say, is history.
 
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#13
#13
mmmjtx said:
Basically Bob Woodruff, AD at the time, was trying to get Penn St to Knoxville for a second game. Joe Pa said no because it was too hot in Septmeber. I think finally Joe Pa agreed to come to Knoxville, but only if the game was at night. This was around April or May of 1972. He did not think that Tenn would have lights in time. Bob Woodruff agreed to the condition. Then Bob Woodruff begged, borrowed , and stole (metaphor), and opening of the season, Neyland had lights. Penn St had to come down, and the rest, as they say, is history.
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Thanks for the information mmmjtx. Very interesting read.
 
#15
#15
mmmjtx said:
Basically Bob Woodruff, AD at the time, was trying to get Penn St to Knoxville for a second game. Joe Pa said no because it was too hot in Septmeber. I think finally Joe Pa agreed to come to Knoxville, but only if the game was at night. This was around April or May of 1972. He did not think that Tenn would have lights in time. Bob Woodruff agreed to the condition. Then Bob Woodruff begged, borrowed , and stole (metaphor), and opening of the season, Neyland had lights. Penn St had to come down, and the rest, as they say, is history.
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JoePa, from what I have heard, made excuses that it was too hot ANYTIME to come to Tennessee. I think they complained of heat the year before when we played them at the end of the year in '71 and spanked them.
 
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#18
#18
The first time Penn St came to Knoxville was in Dec of 1971, and that Tenn honored the Majors family. Bobby Majors had a big day, with two long kick-off returns and a long punt return (for a TD). Conrad Graham ran a fumble recovery back some 75 yds, Jackie Walker ran an interception back for a TD. Do you remember who was in the Penn St had in their backfield? Lydel Mitchell and Franco Harris.
 
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#20
#20
That was my first quarter at UT and I had tickets. I'm from a small town and had never seen such. The stadium was shaking!!!!! And of course, the block parties and the beer afterwards was a wonderful way to start my education. Haha

I think the Band playing at the Frat Block party was Poo Nanny and the Hurricanes! Funny I'd remember that. LOL
 
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#21
#21
I was 31 but living in Denver and couldn't go. That was when only 3-4 games (at most) were televised each Saturday. Don't remember it being on TV.
 
#23
#23
I was there thanks to my father, whom I owe so much !
Edit : I do remember the shaking of Neyland that night and specifically east side upper deck. I was 8 yrs old but recall vividly the vibration of that stadium. This was back when we had the green end zone bleachers with flag pole and cannon on the hill (fired after every score).
 
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#24
#24
In the Navy on a aircraft carrier....Think it was about Tuesday before I got the score. Lol
 
#25
#25
mmmjtx said:
The first time Penn St came to Knoxville was in Dec of 1971, and that Tenn honored the Majors family. Bobby Majors had a big day, with two long kick-off returns and a long punt return (for a TD). Conrad Graham ran a fumble recovery back some 75 yds, Jackie Walker ran an interception back for a TD. Do you remember who was in the Penn St had in their backfield? Lydel Mitchell and Franco Harris.
Click to expand...
I was a 14 year old Penn State fan and attended that game. Dad played baseball at Penn State so he got tickets and we drove up from Huntsville for the game. We went home sad. Little did I know that a few years later as a UT student, that I'd be bragging about how we stomped Penn State that year.
 
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