Tommy Hensley
Encyclopedia
Thomas B. "Tommy" Hensley (died 1994) was an American
football
official in the National Football League
(NFL) from 1967 to 1987. During his time in the NFL, he was selected as the umpire for Super Bowl XIX
in 1985. He wore uniform number 19 during his NFL career, which is now worn by Scott Green
.
He attended Central High School
in Knoxville, Tennessee
where he was inducted into the Wall of Fame in November 2009. He played football at the University of Tennessee
for the years. His teammates at UT included Doug Atkins
and Johnny Majors
.
Mr. Hensley was a lineman at Central High School, where he graduated in 1950. After graduation, he went to Virginia Tech
on a football scholarship but returned to Knoxville to play tackle on the University of Tennessee
football teams in 1952 and 1953. A Knoxville News Sentinel “Sports Brief” prior to his junior year said, “Tommy Hensley,age 20, 6 foot 190 pound junior (actually 6-2 and 220 pounds), from Knoxville lettered last year as a defensive tackle. His performances on
offense during the spring increased his potential value to the team. (He) has good speed and is a conscientious worker ranked with the top tackle on the squad.” He graduated with a degree in marketing. Although he owned and operated a service station in Fountain City
for 15 years and was a national-accounts director for a trucking firm for five, he was known for his association with football.
Mr. Hensley officiated high school football 15 years and Southeastern Conference
football for five. His first game as an NFL official was as a linesman at New Orleans in 1967. His final 20 years of NFL officiating was as an umpire, including the 1985 Super Bowl at Stanford Stadium. Hensley was the linesman, and later umpire, on the crew of referee Bernie Ulman
from 1967-74.
He was recognized for his officiating by the East Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame by being presented the organization's Amateur Award. He was also inducted into the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame.
Sometimes his large, muscular frame was a positive force in his officiating. Once he backed down a huge lineman who was upset at another official. In a game against Pittsburgh, he was bowled over from behind by a Steeler defender. He dusted himself off and continued to officiate. In his rookie year a fan rushed on to the field to "hit" the official. As he approached, Tom hit him with a right cross and the fan was carried off the field. Tom was forever named "one punch Hensley" after that event, staged in front of Washington Redskins coach, Otto Graham.
He was married to the former Johnnie Belle Cook. They had four children, Tommy, Jr., Michael, Missy and Tracy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
official in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) from 1967 to 1987. During his time in the NFL, he was selected as the umpire for Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX was an American football game played on January 20, 1985 at Stanford Stadium, on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1984 regular season...
in 1985. He wore uniform number 19 during his NFL career, which is now worn by Scott Green
Scott Green (American football official)
Scott H. Green is an American football official in the National Football League since the 1991 NFL season. He has officiated Super Bowls XXXVI in 2002, XXXVIII in 2004, and was the referee for XLIV in 2010....
.
He attended Central High School
Central High School (Knoxville, Tennessee)
Central High School is a public high school located at 5321 Jacksboro Pike in the Fountain City neighborhood of Knoxville, Tennessee, operated by the Knox County school system...
in Knoxville, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
where he was inducted into the Wall of Fame in November 2009. He played football at the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
for the years. His teammates at UT included Doug Atkins
Doug Atkins
Douglas Leon Atkins is a former American football defensive end who played for the Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints in the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Tennessee under legendary head coach Robert Neyland...
and Johnny Majors
Johnny Majors
Johnny Majors is a former American football player and coach. A standout halfback at the University of Tennessee, he was an All-American in 1956 and a two-time winner of the Southeastern Conference Most Valuable Player award, in 1955 and 1956. He finished second to Paul Hornung in voting for...
.
Mr. Hensley was a lineman at Central High School, where he graduated in 1950. After graduation, he went to Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
on a football scholarship but returned to Knoxville to play tackle on the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
football teams in 1952 and 1953. A Knoxville News Sentinel “Sports Brief” prior to his junior year said, “Tommy Hensley,age 20, 6 foot 190 pound junior (actually 6-2 and 220 pounds), from Knoxville lettered last year as a defensive tackle. His performances on
offense during the spring increased his potential value to the team. (He) has good speed and is a conscientious worker ranked with the top tackle on the squad.” He graduated with a degree in marketing. Although he owned and operated a service station in Fountain City
Fountain City, Tennessee
Fountain City is a neighborhood in northern Knoxville, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. Although not a census-designated place , the populations of the two zip codes that serve Fountain City— 37918 and 37912— were 36,815 and 18,695, respectively, as of the 2000 U.S. census...
for 15 years and was a national-accounts director for a trucking firm for five, he was known for his association with football.
Mr. Hensley officiated high school football 15 years and Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
football for five. His first game as an NFL official was as a linesman at New Orleans in 1967. His final 20 years of NFL officiating was as an umpire, including the 1985 Super Bowl at Stanford Stadium. Hensley was the linesman, and later umpire, on the crew of referee Bernie Ulman
Bernie Ulman
Bernard "Bernie" Ulman was an American football and lacrosse official.-Personal:Ulman played as a lacrosse midfielder at the University of Maryland from 1938 to 1943 and also played football for the school...
from 1967-74.
He was recognized for his officiating by the East Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame by being presented the organization's Amateur Award. He was also inducted into the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame.
Sometimes his large, muscular frame was a positive force in his officiating. Once he backed down a huge lineman who was upset at another official. In a game against Pittsburgh, he was bowled over from behind by a Steeler defender. He dusted himself off and continued to officiate. In his rookie year a fan rushed on to the field to "hit" the official. As he approached, Tom hit him with a right cross and the fan was carried off the field. Tom was forever named "one punch Hensley" after that event, staged in front of Washington Redskins coach, Otto Graham.
He was married to the former Johnnie Belle Cook. They had four children, Tommy, Jr., Michael, Missy and Tracy.
See also
- 1984 NFL season1984 NFL seasonThe 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
- NFL playoffs, 1984-85NFL playoffs, 1984-85The NFL playoffs following the 1984 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XIX.The two wild card games were held on different days because both venues were in the Pacific Standard Time Zone. The NFL did not schedule prime time playoff games on the east coast until 2002. Normally, playoff games started at...