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 :bawl:

I knew this day was coming, but that doesn't make it any easier. The GOAT. :bawl:

John was the absolute best.

It feels like losing a family member you used to be really close to, but haven't seen in awhile.

Oh no!!  😢😢😢

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When I think of what made UT football special during my childhood I think of three guys: John Ward, Bobby Denton, and Johnny Majors. Two of them are gone, and I suspect that Johnny will be with them before too long.

But all those guys were Tennessee through and through, and gave the program a "local", "family" flavor that was so unlike today's slick corporate product, and I suspect we'll never see again.

For years, I've watched YouTube videos of John's old play calls with a lump in my throat. Today it's more than a lump. Time slows for none of us, and John was 88. Today was inevitable. But it still sucks. What I wouldn't give to have a time machine to go back and relive those old days when I was cutting my teeth on UT football in the '80s and early '90s as a kid in East Tennessee.  :bawl:

RIP MR. Ward :powert:

Heaven just got the best radio play by play man the game has ever seen. :powert:

Damn that is sad. 

Unbelievable to me how much I took it for granted.   :frown:  Today is like a "bucket of cold water over the head" reminder of that fact.

John was Tennessee football. No one else will never make Give Him Six! sound more awesome. He was part of Tennessee fans like me lives. Grew up with him. Quite a loss. The world is less colorful and a lot less orange today.

RIP John, and thanks for the memories.   :patriot:

It's hard to believe that we're now beginning a second generation of Vol fans who never knew John Ward. To me (and most of you, I'm sure) he's as much a part of UT sports as Neyland Stadium and the color Orange. I can't even imagine having grown up as a Vol without JW providing the soundtrack.

HE WAS UT sports when I was first listening to him.  It was through him I first "saw" the Swamp Rat and the Artful Dodger (Holloway).  His calls of Holloway's exploits (Re: running for his life at times) were amazing.  On one play it seemed like Holloway ran sideline to sideline for 5 minutes till he threw a prayer to Seivers (who caught ANYTHING within 5 yards of him) for "Give him 2!"

It was through (a very horse) John I "saw" the VOLS win the 1967 SEC Championship in triple OT in Starkville.  As good as John was at football he was far, far better at calling basketball.  Over on VQ LWS posted a video of the 75 KY game at Stokely (I was there).  It was great hearing John's call over the video and you got an appreciation for how good he was.  Where the ball was, its general movement and who had the ball, often with who was guarding him.  very, very smooth.

As an aside, that video cut out my moment of fame.  Once Robey came down on King's back and he flung him into my lap.  Robey complained to the ref about it and the ref noted he was on King's back, did he want a foul on himself?  I WAS in the video but nobody would recognize me as I weighed 135# soaking wet in those days :wow:  Also, the video cut out the once a game charging foul on Grevey.  Every game they played Ernie G would draw a charging foul from Grevey, usually after a made shot.  Grevey would swish a long range jumper (probably a 3 these days) and just turn and run up the court.  Ernie would stand 10-15 feet away, pull out a KNS and read Mervin West's column and wait for Grevey to run into him.  BTW, KY was LOADED that year:  Phillips, Robey, Grevey, Givens

I went to games for years and never took a radio with me....The first time I took one was when they came out with the ones with the headsets. I got in my seat and tuned it into John Ward and listened to the pre kickoff show.....The game started and we marched down the field in about 5 plays and Ward was always giving the last play while the next play was beginning.....We scored and Ward was giving the he's at the 5....4.....3...and we were already lining up for the extra point when Ward said....Touchdown Tennessee!!! I looked at my buddy next to me and said....I think John Ward is having issues up there he's a little slow today.....A man behind me leaned over to me and said....The radio is on a 8-10 second delay...LOL!

I remember the way he would describe Johnny Darden as the Dauber. Those were the days.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dgawnr5WsAUdDdW.jpg)

Good-un, Pirate :powert:

A few John Ward memories. http://www.bengarrett.net/2018/06/25/john-ward-1930-2018/

Nice article - Thanks!

Awesome article.

Before every game was televised, you'd listen to the play by play, and even after television coverage saturated the market, we still listened with the TV turned down. John Ward could really paint a picture for us. It was thrilling! Sad he is gone  :powert: