University of Tennessee Athletics
Bertelkamps Leave Mark on UT Hoops
December 06, 2011 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 6, 2011
BY JOSH PATE
UTsports.com
KNOXVILLE -- Hank Bertelkamp stood beside the reception desk in the Tennessee basketball coaches' office and just smiled.
At one time, Bertelkamp surely would have been wearing one of his famed orange ties. He has plenty of them. In fact, he was influential in starting Tennessee's Orange Tie Club, a wing of the booster club that supported the basketball program under head coach Ray Mears. But on this day, Bertelkamp left his tie at home. He did, however, have his orange sweater.
Bertelkamp, a former Tennessee basketball player and longtime supporter of the program, was honored Saturday as the Vols named their coaching office in his honor. Head coach Cuonzo Martin and athletic director Dave Hart thanked the former Vol for his dedication to Tennessee athletics and unveiled a plaque posted on the wall inside the main entrance of the office.
"The Bertelkamps represent the best of Tennessee as student-athletes, donors and ambassadors of the university and the athletic department," said Greg Hulen, Tennessee associate athletics director for development. "This was a special opportunity to honor Hank and the entire family for all they have done to make Volunteer athletics great."
The honor was somewhat of a surprise for Bertelkamp. His son and current Vol Network radio color analyst Bert Bertelkamp kept the secret under wraps until Friday.
"Bert came into my office Friday and said, `Hey, I've got to tell you something,' " Hank Bertelkamp said. "I said, `Uh-oh.' He said, `No, no, it's good.' He didn't want to make it a total surprise, and that's a good thing. I'm glad to be here."
Bertelkamp came from Louisville, Ky., and played basketball for Tennessee from 1950-53. At 6-foot-3 and 175 pounds back then, he played forward for the Vols and wore No. 16 for head coach Emmett Lowery. He averaged 8.5 points his junior year when Tennessee went 13-9. Bertelkamp was named captain his senior season, and he responded in a big way. He led the Vols in scoring at 14.3 points and also collected 7.5 rebounds per game to lead the team to a 13-8 overall record during the 1952-53 season.
Bertelkamp eventually made his home in Knoxville and started his own company, Bertelkamp Automation, in 1975. A year later, his son, Bert, continued the tradition at Tennessee and joined the Vols' basketball team.
Bert came to Tennessee as a shooting guard but moved over to point guard and began dishing out assists. In his senior season of 1980, he averaged 5.3 assists per game, including a special night against Maryland when he handed out 16 assists. All told, Bert helped the Vols to the 1976-77 Southeastern Conference championship and the 1979 SEC Tournament championship. Bert ranks 11th on Tennessee's all-time career assists list. After college, Bert joined his father's company and is now the president.
Together, the father-son duo has been among the biggest supporters of the Tennessee basketball program. They endowed a scholarship in the family's name in 2004. Hank has his seats in Thompson-Boling Arena for every game, and Bert does, too, calling games courtside with the Vol Network's Bob Kesling.
"We feel very strongly about the Tennessee basketball program," Hank Bertelkamp said. "I've probably seen more games than anybody alive starting way back when I was in high school. I was in Louisville, Ky., at the SEC Tournament and high school players got to usher."
The SEC Tournament was held in Louisville from 1941-52. Tennessee won it in 1941 and 1943. Vanderbilt won it in 1951. The rest of the time was dominated by the Kentucky Wildcats, and Bertelkamp remembers how tough those Adolph Rupp-coached teams were.
The SEC Tournament was a special place for the Bertelkamps. Hank played in the 1952 tournament, the final one before the conference suspended tournament play until 1979. Of course, it was then that Bert played for the Vols, making them -- almost certainly -- the only father-son duo in conference history to play in consecutive SEC Tournaments.
It's those unique characteristics that make the Bertelkamps a special father-son duo for the Tennessee basketball family. Hank's smile on Saturday couldn't hide his passion for the Vols, and quite frankly, he didn't want to.
"This is a great day," Hank said. "Thank you all. I love Tennessee basketball."
