A Knoxville CHRISTmas Parade Tradition…50 Years Ago

In the 1950’s the annual Santa Claus Parade (pronounced Sande Claus by most of us) always drew the biggest crowd of any event in Knoxville each year…hands down. At that time Shields-Watkins Stadium held 50,000 fans and was rarely full. The Tennessee-Chattanooga Mocs game each year would draw 20-25,000. But, you could bet that the…

Read More

Cruze, Majors and Lawson, Lift David McMahan’s Spirits!

David McMahon In today’s fast paced (as fast as it can be at our age) world, it is truly heartwarming to see friends and acquaintances rally around a hurting brother. Well, it was not surprising when we saw this happen recently with some East High graduates. Hundreds at least, and probably more, have been humbled…

Read More

Is Rock & Roll Really Here To Stay?

This weekend my wife and I attended a “Doo Wop” concert in Sarasota, Florida. Popular groups, mostly from the 60’s, comprised the Rock & Roll headliners for the raucous evening. It might be a stretch to consider 1500 sixty and seventy-somethings as raucous. Maybe loud, enthusiastic and seated would be more accurate. The groups, the…

Read More

Remembering Chilhowee Park

My memory bank is chock full of vivid memories of times and events at Chilhowee Park.  My guess is that virtually everyone reading this has at least one unforgettable remembrance of this iconic Knoxville landmark. On KNOXVILLE HERITAGE we have included a number of vintage photos of the park and the Exposition Center building that…

Read More

Share Your CHRISTmas Memories: Knoxville or Other!

Victorian Christmas Before I share some of my CHRISTmas memories from decades past, I ask if you would please also share your favorite memory…or two…of earlier years in Knoxville. It’s easy and painless and readers will also be able to enjoy your meaningful experiences. Just add your thoughts at the bottom of this article. THANKS!…

Read More

PEARL HARBOR: THEN AND NOW!

USS Arizona Memorial   Seventy-one years ago, December 7, 1941 the US “was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” as FDR said.  It was truly a “day that will live in infamy,” and will never be forgotten…or will it? The events of that day truly changed forever the…

Read More

The Football Coach Tennessee Should NOT Hire!

Consider me a loyal Tennessee follower, fan, supporter…et. al.  I have been one since I saw my first game 62 seasons ago. I love Tennessee orange. There are many other colors of orange in college football…Syracuse, Clemson, Florida (YUCK!!), Auburn, Oklahoma State, Princeton (do they still play football there?) etc. …but none can match the…

Read More

Asleep for 68 Years. What a Revolution!

In doing research on a WW2 project over the last 4 years I have repeatedly thought of what it would be like to have pulled a Rip Van Winkle and gone to sleep in 1944 and awakened in 2012.  I wonder if someone in that position would initially be more awed or more terrified. Regardless…

Read More

BUFORD A. BIBLE: Traditional Yet Idiosyncratic Mentor!

We called him Mr. Bible.  Not Coach Bible…contrary to popular lore…although he was.  Not Professor Bible, even though he was that too.  And certainly not Buford…at least not to his face.  Rest assured that, on occasion, players and students alike referred to him as Buford or B.A., but it was always done in private and…

Read More

East High Mountaineers Started Fast and Finished Strong

East High School football results are a distant memory for some and non existent for others.  If you do have an inclination to resurrect a memory or two about the ebb and flow of Mountaineer football over its 157 games in 16 seasons,  a recent article in WWW.KNOXFOCUS.COM will bring a smile to you.  Steve…

Read More

TENNESSEE TRADITION: YA’ GOTTA LOVE IT!

I haven’t lived in Tennessee for almost a half a century…moved away in the dark of night on New Year’s Eve in 1964. My Dad, when asked years ago if he would like to fly in an airplane, said he would…if he could drag one foot.  I guess that’s like me about Tennessee and Knoxville. …

Read More

Will There Be Crabgrass In Heaven?

(Note:  I wrote this and it was published in another venue a few years ago.  So if you have read it before there’s no need to slog through it again.  But, if you didn’t endure it the first time and have said to yourself, “what kind of sacrilegious question is that? …I invite you to…

Read More