It was during halftime in the Vols’ 1953 game against Mississippi State at Neyland Stadium that a local pastor walked to midfield with his bluetick coonhound named Blue Smokey.

Blue Smokey wasn’t the only one of his kind on Shields-Watkins Field that day; there were several others. Each contestant was hoping their coonhound would be picked as Tennessee football’s mascot.

One by one their names were called to crowd applause, but when Rev. W.C. Brooks and Blue Smokey’s names were announced at the very end of the procession, there was something different that made the two stand out above the rest.

When his name came over the PA system, Blue Smokey let out a loud howl. The student section cheered. He did it again, instantly becoming a crowd favorite. Tennessee officially had their mascot.

It may be hard to imagine that anyone inside Neyland Stadium that day knew what would become of the Vols’ newfound mascot. Since that 1953 season, there have been nine “Smokey’s,” with the most recent, Smokey X, serving since the 2013 season.

In their 65-plus years of service, Smokey is one of UT’s most beloved traditions. He has made appearances on ESPN’s College Gameday, posed for pictures with thousands of orange-clad fans of all ages and last year, statues of the beloved dog were erected all over campus.

In July, Smokey became even more renowned as state lawmakers passed a bill making the bluetick coonhound — Smokey’s breed — the official dog of the State of Tennessee.

On Thursday, Smokey joined governor Bill Lee at the State Capitol in Nashville for the official signing of ‘bill 999.’ Smokey and the governor will be joined by his current owner Cindy Hudson in a special signing ceremony.