Random History Question for you guys...

[TNHopeful505]

I was wondering about it....

When did the Volunteers start being called "The Vols?" Was that something that came with the conception of the nickname or did that come on down the line? Who started it?

I just wondered, since that's not a "normal" nickname for a volunteer (I only say Vols in connection with the University of Tennessee), when it first became the nickname for us?

Does anyone have any insight? Just something I was asked, and I really had no clue.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

That's a great question. I've never heard who first shortened our nickname to 'Vols', either.

 

[Jax_Vol]

Lead by Davy Crockett, we 'volunteered' to go assist Texas against Mexico.

We got curb stomped at the Alamo. That was some rental car place in San Antonio.

I've slept a few times since I studied the history, so you might want to double check the details.

 

[Cartervol]

Davey and his Volunteers were captured and likely executed by the Mexican army.

 

[beachmaster]

The first I heard of the name "Vols" was in referrence to the Nashville Vols farm team in baseball. That was in the early 50's so I don't know about the football "Vols".

 

[ankh83]

I know the first time the name volunteers was written in a newspaper, in reference to the university, was in 1902. Link to article

I quickly read it and didn't see the condensed version... great question

 

[TAF]

It was coined by the guy who made the original sign on the South End of Neyland Stadium...he only had 4 lighted panels...

 

[Tombo7]

Davey and his Volunteers were captured and likely executed by the Mexican army.

...which was a real shame because Davey had two years of eligibility left.

 

[WillisWG]

In Tom Mattingly's Football Vault, he says in 1902 the Atlanta Constitution used "Volunteers" in their reporting of the Tennessee-Georgia Tech game and by 1905 both Knoxville newspapers were using Volunteers or Vols to describe Tennessee teams.

 

[snappervol]

I was wondering about it....

When did the Volunteers start being called "The Vols?" Was that something that came with the conception of the nickname or did that come on down the line? Who started it?

I just wondered, since that's not a "normal" nickname for a volunteer (I only say Vols in connection with the University of Tennessee), when it first became the nickname for us?

Does anyone have any insight? Just something I was asked, and I really had no clue.

Tennessee became the “Volunteer State” during the war of 1812, as so many of our population volunteered for service under the command of Andrew Jackson. Much of this began @ the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. According to Russ Bebb (the authoritative text on early UT football), the “Vol” nickname stuck coming out of the 1902 season. As has been mentioned earlier, some journalist in ATL covering the UT v. Ga. Tech game used it in a write up.
Also of note, the student yearbook as early as 1800’s has always been the “Volunteer”.

 

[TNHopeful505]

Thanks all. Yeah, the "Volunteer" part always made sense, and I knew the history of that. But I did not know when the shortened version "Vols" became a thing. Interesting stuff. Good research!

 

[VOLINVONORE]

The first I heard of the name "Vols" was in referrence to the Nashville Vols farm team in baseball. That was in the early 50's so I don't know about the football "Vols".

I was at UT in 1956 and they were the Vols then

 

[firedog28]

It's just less syllables! I still here Volunteers on radio and TV but hear Vols tone in the same to me !

 

[greenbacknative]

Back in the early 2000's a local sports reporter on the TV here in Salt Lake was giving the scores and stats on a Tennessee game and he got to the word VOLS, and hesitated for just a second, not knowing what the word was, he pronounced it as VOLES...with a long o. It sounded weird to hear it that way.

 

[Tman44]

1812. Tennessee wasn't a state. Came to arms voluntarily to the U.S. instead of England. Mexican war furthered the already given name.

 

[Caspian]

Back in the early 2000's a local sports reporter on the TV here in Salt Lake was giving the scores and stats on a Tennessee game and he got to the word VOLS, and hesitated for just a second, not knowing what the word was, he pronounced it as VOLES...with a long o. It sounded weird to hear it that way.

I had a friend that got his PhD in psychology at UT, and he pronounced it VOLES. I asked him if he pronounced Volunteer with a long O sound. He looked confused.

 

[WillisWG]

1812. Tennessee wasn't a state. Came to arms voluntarily to the U.S. instead of England. Mexican war furthered the already given name.

Admitted 1 June 1796

 

[Volosaurus rex]

Admitted 1 June 1796

And the University was founded in 1794 as Blount College, two years before Tennessee was admitted to the union. History of the University of Tennessee - The University of Tennessee System

 

[onevol74]

I am just waiting for them to use this same method for the Titans for their nickname.

 

[jim pique]

Tman44,Tennessee became a.state in 1796.Sixteen years before the war of 1812. The University of Tennessee started in1794 as Blount College.

 

[greenbacknative]

1812. Tennessee wasn't a state. Came to arms voluntarily to the U.S. instead of England. Mexican war furthered the already given name.

Someone was out with COVID that day in history class....

 

[ric1958]

I am just waiting for them to use this he same method for the Titans for their nickname.

Ahhhhh..........I see what you did there.

 

[Spook1]

1812. Tennessee wasn't a state. Came to arms voluntarily to the U.S. instead of England. Mexican war furthered the already given name.

Tennessee became a state in 1796. Blount College was founded in 1794 and ultimately became the University of Tennessee...so the school is actually 2 years older than the state.

 

[TNnative]

I had a friend that got his PhD in psychology at UT, and he pronounced it VOLES. I asked him if he pronounced Volunteer with a long O sound. He looked confused.

A PhD in psychology? That makes sense. You dedicae yourself to figuring out why people are screwed up, some of it is gonna rub off sooner or later.

 

[TNnative]

I am just waiting for them to use this he same method for the Titans for their nickname.

That NFL team in Boston are sometimes referred to as the Pats. Tom Brady's new team has long been called the Bucs. We know where that leave that bunch in Nashville.