2. The Passing of a Legend
Over the summer, Tennessee lost one of the most recognizable names associated with its program with the passing of John Ward.
Ward was the Voice of the Vols for decades in both football and basketball, and his voice was the voice of several generations of Vol fans. His final year as UT’s play-by-play radio voice was the Vols’ best in football too, as Ward stepped down after Tennessee’s undefeated 1998 National Championship season.
Whether it’s his “Pandemonium Reigns” call or his “Touchdown on Play No. 1” call, Ward had his fair share of iconic moments as Tennessee’s radio voice over his four decades of service to UT.
The legendary Ward passed away in late June of this year, and there was a massive outpouring of love, memories, and celebration of his life in the immediate aftermath and the days and weeks after. Tennessee held a ceremony the following week to honor Ward’s life and service to the university, and his voice was featured more prominently during UT’s 2018 football season in Neyland Stadium.
Ward passed away at the age of 88, and his impact on Tennessee football and basketball will never be forgotten.
