Samuel Strang Nicklin (Sammy Strang) was the first Vol to play in a World Series in 1905 as a member of the New York Giants.

In 1936 Harry Anderson became UT’s first All-America basketball player, earning second team honors by Converse. He led the Vols to their first Southeastern Conference Championship in any sport with a 1936 SEC Tournament title. He and Floyd “Biggy” Marshall were the first to make first team All-SEC honors the same year.

The men’s team played its first intercollegiate game at home on December 16, 1909, against Kentucky Central University, Danville, Kentucky (now Centre College), in the YMCA gym on the UT campus. The small, box-like gym was packed with two hundred spectators. The Vols won 33-31. The men’s game was preceded by a women’s game (UT … Continued

Bernard King’s jersey, Number 53, was the first basketball number to be retired in accord with a policy announced in February 2007. His number was retired at halftime of the UT-Kentucky game on February 13, 2007. The number of Ernie Grunfeld, his partner in the “Ernie and Bernie” basketball duo, was retired at halftime of … Continued

The first UT basketball player (male or female) to have her jersey retired was Holly Warlick. Her jersey was number 22 and was retired February 18, 1980, in a ceremony after UT’s 89-77 win over Clemson.

The 1903 UT yearbook (Volunteer) provides the first evidence of any basketball team representing the university in intercollegiate competition. The team was the 12-member varsity women’s basketball team. A men’s varsity basketball team was organized in 1909 with Nathan W. Dougherty, who had starred in football, as captain.

Senior engineering student Julius Gunn was recognized as the national Black Engineer—Student Leader at the Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference in February 2007. He was nominated for the award by the Rolls Royce Corporation, with which he had co-oped for three years. He was the first UT student to be nominated and was … Continued

The first conference, sponsored by the Black Faculty and Staff Association, was held May 6, 1988, in Hodges Library. Keynote speaker was Dr. Molefi Kete Asante, professor and head of Afro-American studies at Temple University. Jeanette Barker served as conference chair.

In spring 1942 freshman John Trent was granted permission to open a concession selling soft drinks, candy, and cigarettes at the bottom of the stairs in Ayres Hall. Trent, who established the concession as a means of covering his expenses while attending UT, was visually impaired and was assisted by his brother, who was totally … Continued

The first meeting of the board of trustees of Blount College was held on October 18, 1794. The trustees elected the Reverend Samuel Carrick as president; directed the president to open the college as soon as enough students had been admitted; and set January 22, 1795, as the deadline for applications for admission. Tuition was … Continued