If you were a student at the University of Tennessee at any time in the 1970s or 1980s, you have a story or two to tell about Stokely Athletic Center.
Whether it was shouting to University of Kentucky basketball coach, Joe B. Hall and telling him to “sit, Joe, sit” or attending any one of a series of concerts ranging from Elton John to Barry Manilow, if you were All Vol during this period, Stokely holds a precious place in your heart.
Even though the venerable facility located along Volunteer Boulevard has long since been ‘retired,’ the news of its impending demolition certainly tugs at the heartstrings. Yesterday’s edition of the Knoxville News-Sentinel strongly suggests the razing is imminent.
My dad and I always like to tell the story of my first visit to Stokely as a little shaver. There was an orange costumed figure walking around on the court. My dad asked, rhetorically, what that might be. I suggested that, perhaps, it was a “Big Orange.”
We were, after all, in the heart of Big Orange Country.
Over the years, I would attend various events at Stokely. Most notably, I saw a number of Vols basketball games there (before it gave way to Thompson Boling Arena).
I also remember seeing various concerts, most notably The Eagles. My cousin, Mike, and I were exchanging emails about Stokely today and he mentioned seeing concerts featuring The Supremes, Elton John and Steve Martin in the arena.
My high school graduation was at that facility. All I can tell you is that place was hot, in June. With no air conditioning – and with all of us graduates wearing caps and gowns – we sure wish we could have been back at FHS, graduating on the football field like our predecessors did. We were the first group NOT to have commencement at our home school.
Years later, when I was in grad school, I captained the College of Communication and Information softball team (a.k.a. ‘’The Phuds” – I wrote about them last summer). In any case, one winter we decided to branch out into the world of intramural basketball.
It was a real treat to hit a field goal on the tartan surface of Stokely. After the game, we took baby Holly out to center court and photographed her inside the outline of the state of Tennessee.
That way, three generations of the family got to enjoy a Stokely moment
Soon it will be gone but we can all look back to wonderful times in that venerable ol’ gym. If you close your eyes, you can almost imagine you heard the echoes of the former Voice of the Vols, John Ward, counting another score with his traditional call: “Bottom!”
JG
Originally posted 4/7/2014
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