Tennessee basketball’s history covers over a century, and Vols Wire will explore the history of the program by examining each head coaches’ tenure at UT.
This installment will examine the 1916-1921 seasons when UT was coached by John R. Bender and R.H. Fitzgerald.
The early 1900s was an uncertain time in terms of sports leadership. Most college coaches led multiple sports, if teams were not run by the players themselves. The University of Tennessee was no different, as the Vols typically had the head football coach run the basketball, baseball and track programs.
Z.G. Clevenger had departed for Kansas State in 1916, leaving behind a successful run that included winning over 71 percent of his games and an undefeated final season that left the Vols as the best team in the South.
Former Kansas State coach John R. Bender took over in 1916, swapping schools with Clevenger as America was approaching a time where athletics was hardly a priority during World War I. Bender led the Vols to a 10-5 campaign in his first season, and was quickly replaced by R.H. Fitzgerald for two years. Fitzgerald’s teams performed very poorly, going 3-9-1 and 2-6. Bender regained control of the team in 1919 and went two more seasons, going 11-3 and 8-7. Throughout this period, Bender coached Tennessee’s football team.
After the 1920-21 campaign, Bender moved on to become the head baseball coach at Washington State.