Knoxville celebrates Tennessee baseball, Tony Vitello with parade, celebration

The all-black Maserati driving Tony Vitello down Gay Street could barely move as the crowd of fans spilled over the sidewalk.

Some wanted the Tennessee baseball coach to sign things for them. Others just wanted to get close enough to breathe the same air as the person who led the Vols to their first national championship. As Vitello neared the end of the parade thrown for the 2024 College World Series champions less than 24 hours after their victory, he stood and raised both arms.

He was going to savor this moment.

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When Vitello and his team arrived at Market Square for the celebration that lasted nearly an hour, another massive crowd was waiting for them in the 90-plus degree heat. Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon started the celebration with a proclamation that June 25, 2024 is Tennessee Volunteers baseball day.

"It's definitely a building up, and it included the fans. Holy hell there's a lot of people on the streets tonight," Vitello told the fans in attendance. "I don't know what's more hot – this side of the stage, or wearing black jerseys yesterday when it's 108 degrees. But it all worked out for us."

Vitello was surprised with a four-minute video of his former players congratulating him on winning it all. It included tributes from his first recruit at Tennessee Jake Rucker, along with Evan Russell, Trey Lipscomb, Chase Dollander, Drew Gilbert, Jared Dickey, Ben Joyce and many others.

"That's my favorite thing in the world right there," Vitello said after it ended. "That's awesome."

A crowd estimated at 50,000 descended on downtown Knoxville on Tuesday for the parade and celebration. Although no official total was announced, they were packed in like sardines on Gay Street, barely leaving a single lane for the procession to drive through. Those that couldn’t fit on the sidewalks watched from rooftops, inside buildings and some even hung out the windows of Mast General Store. Others watched local television from their homes as network news was preempted.

The trophy resided in the pickup truck carrying first baseman Blake Burke, outfielder Hunter Ensley, catcher Cal Stark and others. Near the end of the parade, fans started tossing beers to them. Burke, who was cradling the trophy in his left arm, caught a can in his right hand, cracked it open with his teeth and proceeded to chug it in seconds.

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Burke stretched out his arm, holding the can straight above his head as he poured it in his mouth. He threw the empty can back into the sea of fans, and then, with both hands free and a mouth full of beer, he raised the trophy above his head.

Grown men screamed "I love you!" to the players that delivered the first national championship in any team sport at Tennessee in 15 years. Burke held out the trophy for children along the street to touch as they rolled by. One man even held up his baby for starting pitcher Zander Sechrist to sign. 

The event wasn't without some issues due to the heat, though. Approximately 25-30 people needed medical attention according to the Knoxville Fire Department, most of them related to the heat, and six patients were hospitalized.

The players and coaches sat on a stage set up in Market Square. There were two large video screens for fans to watch the festivities that included brief speeches from athletic director Danny White and chancellor Donde Plowman before John Wilkerson, the radio voice of the Vols, did Q&A with Vitello and players.

"We are here in America's College Sports city building the very best athletic department in America," White said. "These guys are spearheading it. We needed to get that first national championship off our back as we restore this iconic brand of UT and Tennessee athletics."

Vitello couldn't help but bring up the fact that Christian Moore, who won the SEC triple crown, wasn't given any postseason awards. Vitello paused to wait for the booing crowd to die down before continuing.

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"Would you rather have those? Or would you rather have this?" he asked, gesturing to the trophy sitting behind him.

Vitello was followed by Ensley, Moore, Sechrist, relief ace Kirby Connell and starting pitcher Drew Beam in the session with Wilkerson. It was fitting to end the event with Beam, who's from Murfreesboro.

"Grew up bleedin' orange, Tennessee fan, watched football every Saturday with my dad," Beam said. "I got to be a part of this for three years, so it's been super cool ... I wasn't born yet when we won football in '98, so it's been really cool to bring a championship home, and then we'll see football do it this fall."

Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on Twitter @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.