University of Tennessee Athletics
POWERING THE T
September 07, 2011 | Football
He's not hiding anything. It's just that the Knoxvillian happens to live a drop kick away from one of the city's true treasures - and perhaps one of its least-known tourist attractions.
Bridges has a front-porch seat across the street from the grave site of Gen. Robert R. Neyland. Tennessee's iconic former head coach is interred in the Knoxville National Cemetery, just two miles north of the stadium named in his honor that is considered one of the shrines to college athletics.
"This is my favorite place," Bridges says of the modest memorial to Neyland amid the military cemetery honoring soldiers as far back as the Civil War. "I walk through here about 4-5 times a day."
Neyland compiled a 173-31-12 record during his UT coaching career while claiming six undefeated seasons, nine undefeated regular seasons, seven conference championships and four national championships. He reeled off undefeated streaks of 33, 28, 23, 19, and 14 games, and his 1938 squad was the last in football history to shut out every regular season opponent.
"He's my favorite coach," Bridges says. "My wife and I were married and moved into this house in January 2010. I was walking through the cemetery soon after and saw Gen. Neyland's name and couldn't believe it."
Kinship to Neyland
Originally from Memphis and now an office manager for the Steps House Veterans Services Program, Bridges has a kinship to Neyland in that both came from a military background. Bridges spent 20 years in the Marine Corps, following in the exact footsteps of his father and grandfather.
Neyland arrived in Knoxville in 1925 from the U.S. Military Academy. One year later he was named head football coach, a position he held until 1952 despite twice being recalled for active military duty. "The General" served UT as athletics director until his death on March 28, 1962.
Bridges now serves as unofficial steward of Neyland's final resting place.
"In the mornings of game day, usually about the time of the Vol Walk, I come out and plant a little UT flag in front of his marker," he said. "It's a desk-size flag that I have to order online - I can't find them anywhere in town. And then I take it off after the game."
Bridges also is trying to pass the word about Knoxville's best-kept secret.
"On the day before Memorial Day, all the Boy Scouts were out here putting American flags everywhere. I saw one or two of the parents wearing UT shirts and I asked them if they knew Gen. Neyland was interred here. They had no clue.
"About an hour later, you saw 300 Boy Scouts over here looking at the marker."
Did You Know? You can find the Knoxville National Cemetery just west of the intersection of North Broadway and North Central streets. Gen. Neyland's marker is located just to the immediate left of the entrance from Tyson Street. MAP
