Sixty years ago, three assistant Tennessee football coaches died in car/train accident

October marks the 60th anniversary of a tragic accident involving University of Tennessee at Knoxville assistant football coaches Bill Majors, Bob Jones, and Charlie Rash. On October 18, 1965, the three coaches were traveling in a Volkswagen Beetle in West Knoxville when they collided with a train. Majors and Jones were killed instantly, while Rash died four days later in the hospital.

The incident was a significant blow to the UT community but inspired the 1965 football team to an outstanding season, finishing with an 8-1-2 record under second-year coach Doug Dickey. The team, wearing black crosses on their helmets in memory of the coaches, became one of the most beloved Vols squads in decades.

The crash occurred shortly after the team had managed a 7-7 tie with Alabama, coached by Paul “Bear” Bryant. Southern Railway engineer J.E. Pafford, initially charged in the accident, was later cleared of wrongdoing. Following the tragedy, the UT