Delta Dental of Tennessee to sponsor OVC's Sgt. York Trophy
Delta Dental of Tennessee has been named the presenting sponsor of this year's OVC Sergeant York Trophy, which goes to the winner of the quadrangular season football series between the four Ohio Valley Conference football-playing schools located in the state of Tennessee.
• Sgt. York Trophy History
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Delta Dental of Tennessee has
been named the presenting sponsor of this year's OVC Sergeant York
Trophy, and Tennessee Tech both start and finish the race. The
Golden Eagles play the first game of the series in 2014 with a
contest at Tennessee State on Sept. 20, and wrap up the trophy
chase with the final game, a visit to Austin Peay on Nov. 22.
The Sgt. York Trophy goes to the winner of the quadrangular season
football series between the four Ohio Valley Conference
football-playing schools located in the state of Tennessee –
Austin Peay State University, Tennessee State University, Tennessee
Technological University and the University of Tennessee at
Martin.
"We are proud to sponsor the Sgt. York Trophy and support our
collegiate conference based here in Tennessee, the OVC," said Phil
Wenk, president and CEO, Delta Dental of Tennessee. "The battle of
these four Tennessee teams is always a fierce one – worth
bragging rights within our state. It's fitting that we honor the
legacy of Sgt. York, a true Tennessee hero with this trophy."
In July 2007, the Nashville Sports Council and the Ohio Valley
Conference announced the creation of the award which is only the
second traveling trophy that involves more than two teams in
college sports; the other is the Commander in Chief's Trophy which
has been contested between Air Force, Army and Navy annually since
1972.
The award is named in honor of Alvin C. York; the most noted
Soldier of World War I. As a corporal in the 2nd battalion, 328th
Infantry, in the Battle of the Meuse River-Argonne (Oct. 8, 1918),
York and seven other soldiers captured 132 prisoners, was promoted
to sergeant and received the Distinguished Service Cross, the
French Croix de Guerre, the French Legion of Honor, the Croce di
Guerra of Italy and the War Medal of Montenegro. Upon his return to
the United States in 1919, he was bestowed the Congressional Medal
of Honor.
Following the war York returned his home in Pall Mall, Tenn.
(located in north central Tennessee, 55 miles northeast of
Cookeville) where he dedicated his life to improving education and
facilitating educational opportunities for children in the state of
Tennessee. In 1927 he established the Alvin C. York Institute after
spending several years raising money for the school which opened as
a private institution. That school was established, in part, to
provide educational opportunities denied to the boys and girls of
Fentress Country. In 1937, the Institute became a state special
school after an appeal to the Tennessee State Legislature. The
school, located in Jamestown, Tenn., is still in operation
today.
York died on Sept. 2, 1964, and the foundation which he helped
establish in 1920, the Sergeant York Patriotic Foundation, was
dormant for many years. The Foundation was re-established by
Lipscomb Davis, Jr. in 1992 and is currently run by Sgt. York's
grandson Gerald (U.S. Army Colonel, Retired). York's papers are
archived by Michael E. Birdwell, Ph.D., who is an associate
professor of history at Tennessee Technological University, one of
the four institutions that will compete for the yearly honor.
After the completion of the football season, the Sergeant York
Trophy will be awarded to the institution with the best
head-to-head record in the match-ups with their fellow Tennessee
schools. In the event of a tie, the award will be shared; however,
the previous winner will retain the trophy if they are part of the
tie. If the tie is between two other institutions, the trophy will
go to the institution that has gone the most seasons without
winning the trophy.
The award is presented to the winning institution annually at the
Celebration of Champions, which is hosted each spring by the
Nashville Sports Council. The event was created in 1999 and salutes
amateur and professional sports in Tennessee.
2014 Sgt. York
Trophy Games
Sept. 20 - Tennessee Tech at Tennessee State
Oct. 9 - Tennessee Tech at UT Martin
Oct. 18 - UT Martin at Tennessee State
Oct. 25 - Austin Peay at UT Martin
Nov. 8 - Tennessee State at Austin Peay
Nov. 22 - Tennessee Tech at Austin Peay
