Setting at home Wednesday night watching the NCAACWS and got an alert on my iPhone. Picked it up and my heart skipped a beat. It stated, The Voice Of The Vols John Ward had passed away. Part of my childhood had died, see I grew up listening to John Ward. John Ward (1965-1999) & Bill Anderson WERE TENNESSEE! I will never forget his exciting calls made on the Vol Network. The way he and Bill brought it home to each and everyone of us on the receiving end.
Back in the day, before satellite TV, we watched sports via an outside antenna. You could watch the game and turn down the television sound and crank up the radio with John and Bill. The delay we have now wasn’t there. Man it was so great. To hear our favorite play by play guy ever describe each play, and the way he did it. “GIVE HIM 6! TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE!, HES TO THE 15-10-5-4-3-2-1 TOUCHDOWN BIG ORANGE! In basketball it 
was BOTTOM!, HE POPS,IT DROPS!
John Ward was an original. He brought all of us together in the way he called a game.
Back when I was married. My wife and her 2 boys were Alabama fans. The boys 9 and 12 like Alabama because of their uncle. I kept telling them we have to go to see a football game. We got tickets one year and went. We watched the Kickoff Callin Show. This is a Vol Network Show, setup outside Neyland Stadium on a grassy hill. People would flock there to watch and listen.
After they sign off, usually John and Bill have to hurry to the stadium to get ready for the game. The day we were there I wanted the boys to meet him. We made our way to the area and stood and waited for him. When he came by I introduced myself and the boys. His attention right off was on the youngest. Let me tell you, this man stopped and put his arm around my 9-year old stepson and spoke to him like we were good friends. A time when he had to go a good distance to get to the press box, Mr John Ward stuck around 15 minutes to make a boys day. WHAT A MAN!
Some of the best calls with John Ward & Bill Anderson on Vol Network!
Ward was named Tennessee Sportscaster of The Year 28 times. A feat that will never be matched. He was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.
He also gave the University of Tennessee a million dollars. This gesture wasn’t really known for sometime because he wanted NO limelight. That’s the real man he was. John Ward cared about people. He passed away Wednesday (6-20-18) in Knoxville. He is preceded in death by his wife, Barbara, who passed away last year.
RIP John Ward. You will never be forgotten. He was 87 years old.