Smoky Mountain Conference

The Smoky Mountain Conference – officially the Smoky Mountain Athletic Conference – was an intercollegiate athletic conference that existed from December 1926 to October 1966.[1][2] Most teams in the league were located in Tennessee, and there were at times teams from Virginia and North Carolina. The first commissioner of the league was W. O. "Chink" Lowe,[3] who had played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers; he served as commissioner until September 1941.[4]

Members

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The following is an incomplete list of the membership of the Smoky Mountain Conference.

Charter members of the conference when it was formed were; Carson–Newman, Emory & Henry, King, Maryville, Milligan, and Tusculum.[2]

Institution Location Founded Nickname First
season
Last
season
Current
conference
Current
division
Ref
Appalachian State Teachers College Boone, North Carolina 1899 Mountaineers 1935 1937 Sun Belt DI FBS [5]
Carson–Newman College Jefferson City, Tennessee 1851 Eagles 1927 1951 South Atlantic DII
Cumberland University Lebanon, Tennessee 1842 Bulldogs* 1932 1941 Mid-South NAIA [6][7]
East Tennessee State Teacher's College Johnson City, Tennessee 1911 Buccaneers 1930 1951 Southern DI FCS
Emory & Henry College Emory, Virginia 1836 Wasps 1927 South Atlantic DII
King College Bristol, Tennessee 1867 Tornados 1927 1939 Carolinas DII [8]
Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate, Tennessee 1897 Railsplitters 1930 South Atlantic DII
Maryville College Maryville, Tennessee 1819 Scots 1927 USA South DIII
Milligan College Milligan College, Tennessee 1866 Buffaloes 1927 Appalachian NAIA
Tennessee Wesleyan College Athens, Tennessee 1857 Bulldogs 1956 Appalachian NAIA [9]
Tusculum College Tusculum, Tennessee 1794 Pioneers 1927 South Atlantic DII
Western Carolina Teachers College Cullowhee, North Carolina 1889 Catamounts 1934 Southern DI FCS [10][11]

† School does not currently have an active football program.
* Cumberland's team is now nicknamed the Phoenix.

Football champions

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The conference did not operate from late 1941 until mid-1946, due to World War II.[12]

† School media guide inconsistent with contemporary newspaper reports.

Basketball champions

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Stout, Billy H. (June 1974). "A History of Intercollegiate Athletics at Milligan College, 1887-1973". etsu.edu. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Smoky Mountain Meeting Is Formed at Greeneville". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. AP. December 3, 1926. Retrieved March 26, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Tobitt, Bill (August 13, 1939). "Two Bits' Worth". Oakland Tribune. Retrieved March 26, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Three Schools Left In Smoky". Kingsport Times. Kingsport, Tennessee. AP. September 17, 1941. Retrieved March 26, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Appalachian State Football Online Yearbook". 2014. Retrieved March 24, 2017 – via issuu.com.
  6. ^ "Cumberland Phoenix History". gocumberlandathletics.com. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  7. ^ Lazell, Arthur (December 6, 1932). "Cumberland Admitted To Smoky Conference". The Knoxville Journal. Knoxville, Tennessee. p. 9. Retrieved September 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  8. ^ "King Withdraws From S-M League". Kingsport Times. Kingsport, Tennessee. October 30, 1939. Retrieved March 26, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Martin (then-President of Tennessee Wesleyan College), LeRoy Albert (1957). "A History of Tennessee Wesleyan College: 1857-1957" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  10. ^ "Catamount Grid, Cage Schedules Are Announced". Asheville Citizen-Times. Asheville, North Carolina. June 26, 1934. Retrieved March 26, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Smoky Mountain". The Palm Beach Post. Associated Press. November 30, 1936. Retrieved March 26, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Smoky Mountain Loop Has Five Members". The Daily Tribune. Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. Associated Press. August 15, 1946. Retrieved March 26, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "All-Smoky Mountain Eleven Picked". The Knoxville Journal. Knoxville, Tennessee. November 29, 1927. p. 9. Retrieved September 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  14. ^ a b c "Emory & Henry Football - Year-By-Year Records". gowasps.com. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  15. ^ Thompson, Marvin (November 27, 1931). "Scots Beat C-N To Win Smoky Title". The Knoxville Journal. Knoxville, Tennessee. p. 15. Retrieved September 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  16. ^ "King College Loses to Carson-Newman". Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. Associated Press. October 30, 1932. Retrieved March 25, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b c "Carson–Newman Football Media Guide" (PDF). cneagles.com. 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  18. ^ Sullinger, Ray (December 4, 1933). "Sullinger Picks All-Smoky Eleven". Bristol Herald Courier. Bristol, Tennessee. p. 6. Retrieved September 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  19. ^ "Conference Title Goes to Milligan". Kingsport Times. Kingsport, Tennessee. Associated Press. November 30, 1934. Retrieved March 26, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Cumberland Completes Most Successful Gridiron Season". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. December 1, 1935. Retrieved March 25, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Smoky Mountain Title To Newman". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. Associated Press. November 29, 1936. Retrieved March 26, 2017 – via Newspapers.com  .
  22. ^ "APPALACHIAN WINS FROM CUMBERLAND". Watauga Democrat. 1936-11-26. p. 3. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  23. ^ "Championship Goes To Carson-Newman". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. Associated Press. November 28, 1937. Retrieved March 26, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "East Tennessee State Football Record Book". etsubucs.com. 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  25. ^ "ETST Take First Smoky Mountain Title". Kingsport Times. Kingsport, Tennessee. Associated Press. November 20, 1938. Retrieved March 26, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Carson-Newman Officially is Named Smoky Mountain Winner". The Knoxville Journal. Knoxville, Tennessee. December 3, 1939. p. 7. Retrieved September 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  27. ^ Thompson, Escar (December 31, 1939). "1939, By All Odds, Will Go Down as Blue Ribbon Year In Sporting Circles of Volunteer State". Kingsport Times. Kingsport, Tennessee. Associated Press. Retrieved March 26, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "Unbeaten Milligan Swamps Tusculum". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. Associated Press. November 2, 1940. Retrieved March 25, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "Buffs And Bucs Play Final Games Here This Week". Johnson City Press. Johnson City, Tennessee. November 3, 1940. p. 9. Retrieved September 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  30. ^ "Teachers College Withdraws From Smoky Mountain Circuit". Johnson City Chronicle. Johnson City, Tennessee. December 11, 1941. p. 9. Retrieved September 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  31. ^ "Maryville Schedules Prohibits Acceptance of Buff Challenge". Johnson City Press. Johnson City, Tennessee. November 7, 1946. p. 9. Retrieved September 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  32. ^ a b "Smoky Mountain Conference May Admit ET State". Kingsport Times. Kingsport, Tennessee. Associated Press. December 9, 1947. Retrieved March 26, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  33. ^ "Sewanee And Austin Peay Lead Small College Ranks". Johnson City Press. Johnson City, Tennessee. United Press. November 1, 1948. p. 11. Retrieved September 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  34. ^ "Middle Tennessee May Face Supreme Test This Weekend". Johnson City Press. Johnson City, Tennessee. United Press. November 7, 1949. p. 10. Retrieved September 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  35. ^ "Ohio Valley, Smoky Conference Titles All Wrapped Up". Middlesboro Daily News. Middlesboro, Kentucky. November 14, 1950. p. 2. Retrieved September 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  36. ^ "Interest High In Bristol For Wasp-Buc Tilt". Johnson City Press. Johnson City, Tennessee. Associated Press. November 1, 1951. p. 20. Retrieved September 25, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  37. ^ Thompson, Gene (November 4, 1951). "Emory Whips State In Gruelling 28-7 Struggle". Bristol Herald Courier. Bristol, Virginia. p. 1C. Retrieved February 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com  .
  38. ^ Smyth, Jimmy (October 8, 1952). "Bench Views". Johnson City Press. Johnson City, Tennessee. p. 17. Retrieved September 26, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  39. ^ Thompson, Gene (October 3, 1953). "Bench Views". Bristol Herald Courier. Bristol, Tennessee. p. 7. Retrieved September 26, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  40. ^ Thompson, Gene (September 26, 1954). "Emory, Carson-Newman Play To Scoreless Tie". Bristol Herald Courier. Bristol, Tennessee. p. 21. Retrieved March 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com  .
  41. ^ "Emory-Henry Whips Eagles by 25-7 Score". Kingsport Times-News. Kingsport, Tennessee. October 9, 1955. p. 19. Retrieved September 26, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  42. ^ "Carson-Newman Loses To E&H, 17-7". The Progress-Index. Petersburg, Virginia. October 7, 1956. p. 25. Retrieved September 26, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  43. ^ "Smoky Mountain Conference Champions". Middlesboro Daily News. 1951-02-23. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  44. ^ "Smoky Cage Tourney Card To Be Made". Bristol Herald Courier. Bristol, Tennessee. February 27, 1956. p. 6. Retrieved September 26, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  45. ^ "Tusculum Takes Smoky Tourney". Johnson City Press. Johnson City, Tennessee. Associated Press. March 4, 1956. p. 17. Retrieved September 26, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .