John Shearer: Bobby Majors Fondly Recalls Starring For Vols 50 Years Ago

The 72-year-old amicably greeted his visitor at the Oreck vacuum store in the bustling Hamilton Place area of Chattanooga and seemed like a typical businessman trying to earn an honest living -- except for the shirt he was wearing.

 

On the retro-style shirt sold during the Johnny Majors Classic football game against Pittsburgh last September were the words, “Coach Majors” and “Tennessee football staff.” 

 

But this person – Bobby Majors -- could have also gotten a real shirt, because the late Tennessee coach, who served from 1977-92, was his older brother.

 

Bobby Majors’ own shirt – his jersey No.

44 – was also once quite a familiar sight. The youngest brother in the famous Tennessee football family enjoyed his own all-American career that culminated exactly 50 years ago this football season.

 

And that along with his residency in Chattanooga for roughly the last 35 years had led to the announcement that he will be inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame this March 7.

 

In connection with the anniversary of his final UT season and the Music City Bowl game against Purdue on Thursday, Bobby Majors recently reflected on the state of Tennessee football and his days when he was a human vacuum cleaner getting numerous interceptions.

 

Of the current team, he gave a thumbs up to first-year coach Josh Heupel, who helped lead the formerly maligned Vols to a 7-5 regular season record this year following the firing of Jeremy Pruitt amid allegations of recruiting improprieties. 

 

“He turned the program totally around in less than a year,” said Majors. “If he gets the defensive people, he’ll be really something.”

 

The defensive people might include someone like – yes – Bobby Majors. As a junior in 1970, he had an eye-catching 10 interceptions to make second-team all-American as a safety. And then his senior year, when offensive teams were no doubt likely throwing the ball away from him, he had three more on his way to making first-team all-American.

 

Like his jersey number worn in high school and college to honor another older brother, Bill, he had duplicate skills that helped in other areas. He was also an outstanding punt returner, who returned four punts for touchdowns in his sophomore and senior years – against Alabama and Kentucky in 1969 and against Cal-Santa Barbara and Penn State in 1971.

 

He also had a receiving TD against Chattanooga in 1969, and he handled the punting duties for the Vols as well his last two years.

 

To this day, he holds the school’s career record for punt-returning yardage at 1,163. He also dropped only one punt in his career – against Georgia in the rain in a 1969 road victory. He said the Bulldogs recovered the ball, but did not score, much to his relief.

 

But most of his career was sunny for both him and the Vols football wise. 

 

After attending such high schools as Sewanee Military Academy, Franklin County and Castle Heights military academy, where he was also a kicker, he was heavily recruited by such legends as “Bear” Bryant at Alabama and Vince Dooley at Georgia. 

 

But this man who said he got his athletic genes from both his father, longtime Sewanee coach Shirley Majors, and his agile mother, Elizabeth, ultimately followed two of his older brothers to Tennessee.

 

“I went to ‘Bear’ Bryant’s house,” he said. “I considered both of them (Alabama and Georgia) very seriously. But when it got right down to it, I wanted to play for Tennessee.”

 

He arrived when Doug Dickey had the program going strong and played more running back and receiver, but he switched to defense after Bill Battle took over.

 

“I felt like my chance of getting to the next level in the pros was as a defensive back,” he said.

 

While coach Battle initially kept the Vols near the top of the SEC as coach Dickey had, Mr. Majors remembered that they had different styles. “Dickey was more businesslike and had a little more experience,” he said. “Battle was kind of the stoic type. He didn’t relate to the players much. I liked him personally, but he was not much of a communicator. He was kind of an aloof type.” 

 

Perhaps the coach who influenced him the most was brother Bill Majors, who played at Tennessee right after Johnny graduated following the 1956 season. Bill was later an assistant at UT before being tragically killed in 1965 with two other coaches after a train-car collision in West Knoxville when Bobby was only 15.

 

“It was very devastating to me,” recalled Bobby. “Bill really showed me a lot of attention and helped me learn the aspects of football, basketball, baseball and golf.”

 

Bobby thinks Bill could have been a successful head coach like Johnny, had he lived. He said the two brothers had different personalities, but some similarities.

 

“They were both very driven. And both were people persons, and both knew the ins and outs of the game and teaching. Bill, he was really good with people.”

 

Bobby Majors said he considered getting into coaching, too, but realized it might take a while to become any kind of head coach, so he opted for the business world of sales.

 

He early on sold fans on his career as a player. Perhaps his most memorable UT game came in the last regular season contest of his senior year in 1971 against Penn State. 

 

Also garnering attention before the game, when the entire Majors family was being honored, he was one of several big stars once it began. He returned a punt 44 yards for a touchdown and had two kickoff returns of over 50 yards each in the 31-11 upset win over the visiting Nittany Lions. He also made a key punt that gave Penn State bad field position.

 

This was a Penn State team that featured future Pittsburgh Steeler Hall of Famer Franco Harris and future Colt star Lydell Mitchell.

 

In the Liberty Bowl in Memphis played before a sellout crowd on Dec. 20, 1971, Mr. Majors also had a big game at free safety and as a punter, as Tennessee defeated Arkansas and future Buffalo Bills quarterback Joe Ferguson, 14-13. The Vols appeared headed to a loss before junior college transfer Carl Witherspoon recovered a fumble late in the game, and UT was able to score in three plays. 

 

After a brief NFL career with Cleveland and with Memphis in the World Football League after initially getting drafted by Philadelphia, he got into sales work, moving to Chattanooga from Atlanta in 1985 with the Mead containerboard company. Besides the Oreck store, he also now operates a janitorial supply business.

 

He said that when retired Channel 9 sportscaster Darrell Patterson called him and told him of his selection to the Chattanooga hall of fame, he was quite flattered but surprised, since he did not grow up here or play here.

 

Mr. Majors said he did not come to Chattanooga much as a youth, but occasionally his family would drive over, and his father would visit with Chattanoogan Sammy Joyce.

 

He did continue as an avid golfer here, although he said he does not really play much anymore after having knee replacement surgery.

 

Among other Hall of Fames, his deadline for a possible induction into the prestigious College Football Hall of Fame has apparently passed, due to the fact his career concluded more than 50 years ago. However, a veterans committee can still look at his qualifications.

 

Mr. Majors said life has been good to him overall, even though he admittedly made some personal stumbles along the way after his football career was over. 

 

“I have had a great life since I got saved on March 7, 1993,” he said. “I was a partier and hell raiser before then.”

 

He said he made the commitment to Christ while attending First Presbyterian Church in downtown Chattanooga under Ben Haden. These days, he is involved with Silverdale Baptist Church under senior pastor Tony Walliser and said his faith is No. 1 in his life. 

 

He has six children – Rob, Brent, Seth, Tiffany, Annbrianna and Bradley – and four grandchildren.

 

He still keeps busy at age 72, saying he enjoys working and pushing Oreck products and his other business. “They are one of the top four or five vacuums,” he said with enthusiasm. “They are a good, reliable product.” 

 

He also takes a little time to follow and push Tennessee football. “I love watching college football,” he said. “But I despise pro football. In the pros they are making way too much money.”

 

For him and other Vol fans of varying ages, new Tennessee players are coming along to draw attention and admiration.

 

But back in the early 1970s, no one drew the attention of young Baby Boomer fans and others any more than Bobby Majors and his flawless grace displayed at Neyland Stadium and elsewhere. 

 

“It was fun being the hotshot and to be recognized everywhere I went, and in the classroom,” he said with a smile. “People oohing and aahing over you boosted your ego.” 

 

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Jcshearer2@comcast.net