What fans shouted to Tennessee baseball’s Tony Vitello as saga with San Francisco Giants goes on
Tony Vitello stood on the edge of the outfield behind second base.
A sign hung off the fraternity house directly behind the first-base line at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, landing in Vitello’s line of sight had he glanced to his left.
“Please stay Tony V!!!” the sign read, imploring the Tennessee baseball coach to make the decision to remain in Knoxville as the saga surrounding Vitello’s future continued another day.
Vitello, the best coach in program history, is a candidate for the vacant manager position with the San Francisco Giants. He has been for at least a week, but the status remains the same as it did when Vitello told Knox News “nothing is done” following an Oct. 18 scrimmage.
The waiting game brought a spectacle to Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Oct. 21, his third straight day of being at a Tennessee practice since the news of his front-runner standing with the Giants emerged.
Tennessee fans rallied to show up for the scrimmage portion of the practice. The scrimmages have long been open to the public, which sparked an online movement from fans to attend and show their love for the coach who has orchestrated a brilliant run.
They opted to “pack the porches” in left field, sitting in the only accessible portion of the ballpark due to construction. UT athletics employees came over to organize the porches and prepare for an unknown turnout. A pair of security guards were brought in, one to man the gate into the stadium behind the porches and the other to prevent wandering into the active construction zone.
Fans lined all three levels of the porches. A group in the front run twice started a “We want Tony” chant.
Standing behind third base, Vitello acknowledged the first chant with a turn and a wave. He then went over, thanked the fans for being there and threw a ball to a fan.
He walked back again when the scrimmage ended as his players jogged off the field. He again thanked everyone for coming and said the team had meetings before ending with a “love y’all.”
Vitello left through the dugout, heading down the tunnel toward the locker rooms. He might walk out of the same tunnel again for another scrimmage. He might not. But whatever his decision will be, Tennessee fans made their stand loud and clear from the porches on a brisk October afternoon.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
