John Ward (broadcaster)
Encyclopedia
John Ward is a former radio broadcaster at the University of Tennessee
from 1965 until 1999. Ward received a law
degree in 1954 at the University of Tennessee's main campus in Knoxville
. Shortly after, he decided to go into radio
and advertising
. Ward's first broadcast of a UT basketball game came in 1958. Shortly after, he joined the Army
.
After returning to Knoxville, Ward went to work at an advertising agency. In 1964 he began handling the duties as announcer-host-coordinator for UT coaches television shows in football
and basketball
. His broadcasting career blossomed when he became the Vols radio play-by-play voice, first, for basketball in 1965 and three years later for football (1968).
In addition to his duties with the Vol Network, he covered events for ABC-TV
and ESPN
. Ward is a member of the Tennessee
Sports Hall of Fame. Ward was known as the "Voice of the Vols" for 31 years on the air. Ward and Bill Anderson, his color commentator for the entire 31 years, became the longest-running broadcasting partnership in college football.
His trademarks include: his introduction to each game, "It's football time in Tennessee!;" his touchdown call, "Give ... him ... SIX! ... TOUCHDOWN, TENNESSEE!;" asking, "Did he make it?", and answering, "HE MADE IT!," after a made field goal; enthusiastically saying, "BOTTOM!" after a made basket in basketball; and wearing a light blue towel around his neck while broadcasting.
After the 1998-99 football and basketball seasons, in which the Volunteers won the National Championship in football, Ward retired and was replaced by Bob Kesling. The University of Tennessee named the fourth level of the press box at Neyland Stadium
The John Ward Broadcast Center in Ward's honor in 1995. His final broadcast for the Vols came in the second round of the 1999 NCAA men's basketball tournament, with Tennessee's loss to Southwest Missouri State University.
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
from 1965 until 1999. Ward received a law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
degree in 1954 at the University of Tennessee's main campus in Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. Shortly after, he decided to go into radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
. Ward's first broadcast of a UT basketball game came in 1958. Shortly after, he joined the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
After returning to Knoxville, Ward went to work at an advertising agency. In 1964 he began handling the duties as announcer-host-coordinator for UT coaches television shows in football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. His broadcasting career blossomed when he became the Vols radio play-by-play voice, first, for basketball in 1965 and three years later for football (1968).
In addition to his duties with the Vol Network, he covered events for ABC-TV
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. Ward is a member of the Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
Sports Hall of Fame. Ward was known as the "Voice of the Vols" for 31 years on the air. Ward and Bill Anderson, his color commentator for the entire 31 years, became the longest-running broadcasting partnership in college football.
His trademarks include: his introduction to each game, "It's football time in Tennessee!;" his touchdown call, "Give ... him ... SIX! ... TOUCHDOWN, TENNESSEE!;" asking, "Did he make it?", and answering, "HE MADE IT!," after a made field goal; enthusiastically saying, "BOTTOM!" after a made basket in basketball; and wearing a light blue towel around his neck while broadcasting.
After the 1998-99 football and basketball seasons, in which the Volunteers won the National Championship in football, Ward retired and was replaced by Bob Kesling. The University of Tennessee named the fourth level of the press box at Neyland Stadium
Neyland Stadium
Neyland Stadium is a sports stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. It serves primarily as the home of the Tennessee Volunteers football team, but is also used to host large conventions and has been a site for several NFL exhibition games. The stadium's official capacity is 102,455...
The John Ward Broadcast Center in Ward's honor in 1995. His final broadcast for the Vols came in the second round of the 1999 NCAA men's basketball tournament, with Tennessee's loss to Southwest Missouri State University.