John Ward: Tennessee Volunteer ambassador

Return to Knoxville

Like many blossoming radio personalities of the fifties and sixties, Ward returned to his hometown after a stint in the Army to find local radio stations needing broadcast talent. Ward worked at an advertising agency and entered the broadcast field as a hobbyist. He eventually rose to become the play-by-play voice for Tennessee Volunteer basketball in 1965 and for football in 1968.

The invisible ambassador

While Ward called Tennessee basketball games during the Ray Mears glory days and forward, he created his national legacy above the checkered endzones.

With regional syndication by outlets like the “Pick of Dixie” evening broadcasts of Southeastern Conference football games and far-reaching broadcasts of night games on clear channel radio stations, football fans twisted the knobs on their transistor and car radios searching for college football. The easily identified rhythm and tone of John Ward’s voice stopped the fingers of college football aficionados throughout the region who shushed the kids with “Listen!” Until they heard, “It’s Football Time in Tennessee,” “Winding, grinding, twisting, turning, diving,” and finally, “Give. Him Six!”

“Give. Him. Six!”

Of course, Tennessee fans throughout the country knew exactly where on the dial to find Ward bringing to life Volunteer football and basketball.

“John Ward was an incredible ambassador for the University of Tennessee, and obviously he was a huge part of my football life,” said Peyton Manning. “I have great memories of John Ward’s radio calls while I was playing.