Old Vol John Boynton, 78, is moving on up.
The really tough offensive tackle of the good ol’ Doug Dickey days will be honored by Bledsoe County on August 23. The high school football stadium in Pikeville, Tennessee, where John grew up and still lives, will be named in his honor.
The game between Bledsoe and rival Sequatchie counties is set for 8 p.m. on Friday, August 23, 2024. Arrive early. The stadium is on Main Street in Pikeville, Highway 28.
John Boynton today
Other old Vols say things like this don’t happen very often.
A stadium in Knoxville is named for former Tennessee coach Robert R. Neyland. The football field at Bearden High is named for former Vol safety and captain Bill Young. He was once a very successful coach of the Bulldogs.
“John is one of my favorite people of all time,” said Young. “He is so deserving of this honor. Nobody I know is more deserving of respect.”
“This is a great honor for John Boynton,” said old Vol and former teammate Charles Rosenfelder.
Rosey knows about honors. He was a Tennessee all-American guard. He is in the College Football Hall of Fame.
“I have so much admiration for John Boynton,” said old Vol and former teammate Bob Johnson. “I have never known a more determined man.”
Johnson was the Tennessee center in 1965-66-67, the same seasons Boynton played. Johnson was an all-American. Johnson is in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Coach Dickey remembered Boynton as the original mountain man, much like history books describe the first volunteers who walked to Texas to help fight the Mexicans.
“It was like having Lil’ Abner on your football team,” said Dickey. “John was the epitome of toughness and consistency without saying a word.”
John Boynton as a Vol
The coach’s recollection fits one of old Vol Jerry Holloway’s many personal memories. Jerry, also an offensive tackle, and John were roommates before Tennessee road games. Of course, they were friends but they didn’t talk much.
“About all John said on those Friday nights was ‘Turn out the light.’”
Holloway will do some talking at the stadium dedication. He will present John with an engraved plaque and “a gift that commemorates his playing days at Tennessee and the admiration, respect and love his teammates have for him.”
Family, old Vols and Bledsoe County dignitaries will join John on the field at halftime for what Holloway calls “a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Boynton, being polite and grateful, is sure to say thank you and may say a few words about his time at Tennessee. He told me he enjoyed it. The Vols went 25-6-2 in that era. Litkenhous awarded them the national championship in 1967.
Boynton, 6-4 and 255, topped out individually as first team all-Southeastern Conference. The Miami Dolphins drafted him in the seventh round. He is credited with two seasons in the NFL.
Boynton coached for a season at LaFollette with former teammates Derrick Weatherford and Young.
“That was a special time,” said Young. “John came straight to LaFollette from the Dolphins. He lived in the gym during the week and went home to Pikeville on weekends.”
Boynton later coached the start-up team at Rhea County and progressed from 0-10 to 7-4. He went into the sporting goods business. He eventually taught and coached at his old school, Bledsoe County. After that, he became a gentleman farmer. The land has been in the family far more than a century.
Boynton’s farming sounds like a hobby. He does have some goats and cows. He also has a tractor. It is in the repair shop. One of his sons teases him about the brand. His John Deere is running fine.
John is Mr. Boynton at Mount Crest United Methodist Church. He is superintendent of Sunday school. Three generations in Pikeville describe him as a “gentle giant.”
Very big in John’s life is his wife. John says he spotted Emma Summers in seventh grade and never lost interest. They got better acquainted as UT sophomores and were married in 1966.
“She was worth the chase,” said Boynton.
There are several key words in the Tennessee football description of John Boynton.
“He would never quit.” said Johnson. “He never had much to say but he was tougher than anybody in our world. He was and is what a man is supposed to be.”
There was a legendary heavyweight fight one day on the practice field. It was between friends, Boynton and Weatherford. Boynton might have been a blow or two behind.
He made a shocking speech: “Only one of us is going to come out of this alive.”
Derrick countered with an order: “Cease and desist.”
“They shook hands and hugged,” said Rosenfelder. “The rest of us applauded.”
My favorite Boynton story is from the 1965 Tennessee-Ole Miss game in Memphis. Line coach Ray Trail told it best.
“John came up to me on the sideline and said his arm was hurt. I looked and it was bent the wrong way at the elbow. It was awful, so bad it was almost sickening.”
Trail called for the team physician, Bill Youmans. The doctor said Boynton should go to the hospital for repairs. John asked why he couldn’t fix it right there. Too painful, said the doctor. Nobody could stand that.
“John said he’d see about that,” said Trail. “He invited the doctor to join him on the bench and rearrange his arm. Dr. Youmans didn’t think it was a good idea but went about his work.
“Sweat popped out on Boynton’s forehead but he didn’t say a word. When his arm looked almost normal again, he stood up and said to Dr. Youmans, ‘I reckon I’ll go back into the game. Are you going to wrap it up?’”
Marvin West welcomes comments or questions from readers. His address is marvinwest75@gmail.comKickoff between
