There aren’t as many old Vols as there used to be. Three have died in the past month.

“We are losing Ol’ Vols far too frequently these days,” said former tackle Jerry Holloway, the esteemed messenger who keeps up with successes and setbacks and calls the roll from time to time.

Joe Balthrop

Joe Balthrop, a really good offensive tackle on some really good teams, died in Nashville on April 15. He was 76. Joe had some interesting teammates – Chip Kell, Curt Watson, Bobby Scott, Lester McClain, Ken DeLong. Three pretty good linebackers were on those late 1960s teams – Steve Kiner, Jack Reynolds and Jackie Walker.

“Joe was a really good guy,” said former guard Bill Emendorfer. “He was so dependable, soft spoken but very tough when it mattered most.

“The last time I saw him he was only a shadow of himself. He looked rather small and I didn’t recognize him at first.”

Emendorfer said thank you to Balthrop.

“He helped me make the transition from defense to offense.”

Steve Kiner

Steve Kiner, 77, died in Tampa on April 24.

“A great football player who became a great human being in the years following his pro career,” said Holloway. “Those who knew him will understand what I have just said.”

Kiner, a unanimous All-American in 1969, is in the College Football Hall of Fame. The Vols had a 26-6-1 record and won two SEC titles during his time at Tennessee.

Later, he totally changed from hurting people to helping people. He added two degrees, including a doctorate in clinical psychology. He managed emergency psychiatric services for the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.

Defensive halfback Jerry Smith, 82, died in Jacksonville May 12 after a fight with cancer. Pneumonia was the last straw.

“If there has ever been one, Jerry Smith was a natural salesman,” said Harold Stancell, partner in the Vol secondary in the mid-1960s and close friend through the years.

“Smith sold big trucks for Peterbilt. At one time, he was the company’s fifth-ranked salesman in the world. Jerry was a talker. He was a wheeler-dealer.”

Stancell recalled a billboard idea Smith sold me, a story about big signs in Atlanta or Miami that would say “See South’s Snappiest Sidebacks” to help NFL scouts find him and Harold.

Stancell, more modest, said billboards wasn’t such a bad idea but they didn’t have $3 between them to invest in signs.

Actually, Smith had cash during football season. He sold teammates’ complimentary tickets and gave them half the proceeds. Stancell laughed about that memory.

“Guys would ask Jerry if that was all the fans would pay.”

Stancell said Smith was a very good defensive back and a brave punt returner – a job that requires heavy-duty courage. Smith ran one back 66 yards for a touchdown against Army.

Smith was also an excellent golfer. He won some nickels and dimes and titles.

“He had a hole-in-one at a lettermen’s tournament. Someone had bought an insurance policy mostly for fun but just in case. Jerry won $10,000 when that was a lot.”

So many stories…

Jerry and Sue Brenner’s wedding had long been set for December 19, 1965, in Knoxville. The Bluebonnet Bowl, Tennessee versus Tulsa, December 18 in Houston, emerged as an inconvenient obstruction.

Jerry wasn’t going to let a little thing like a bowl game get in the way of his wedding. The groom and the ushers, teammates Bob Petrella, Terry Bird, Sam Robertson, Billy Tomlinson and Stancell, departed immediately after the post-game banquet and flew commercial to Atlanta. A UT plane just happened to be waiting to complete the mission.

“Jerry was unique in many other ways,” said Stancell.

Keep this just between us: Jerry Smith was the only Vol to ever fail first grade in elementary school. He spent the year in the corner, maybe for talking too much. You can ask Stancell.

Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.com