Arnold Zandi

Arnold Zandi, who attended UT during 1944–51, assumed his vendor role at UT football and basketball games in 1945. Over the years, he developed names for his products: large carbonated drinks were “burpsies” and small ones were “erpsies.” When Zandi added hot dogs to his vending line, he called them “yummies for the tummy.” His record for hot dog sales in a football game was 480. He worked for the US Postal Service from 1951 to 1974 and then retired to pursue other interests—stepping up vending and waging unsuccessful political campaigns against Governor Ray Blanton, US Senator James Sasser, and Knoxville Mayor Randy Tyree, among others. In 1986 he won a car given away at the Lady Vols basketball game during a promotion for the Airport Motor Mile Sales Association, in which nine used cars were given away. The car, a 1974 orange Ford Maverick donated by King Ford, turned out to need about $200 in repairs, including brakes (it had none). King Ford said at first it was not responsible for the repairs, but the company then agreed to repair the brakes because of Zandi’s “special service” to UT athletics.