Three-year Tennessee basketball letter winner Hank Bertelkamp passed away Friday morning surrounded by family at his Knoxville home, the University announced Friday afternoon. The second-oldest living Tennessee basketball letter winner at the time of his passing, Bertelkamp was 94-years old.
Bertelkamp played for the Vols from 1950-53 where he averaged 8.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-3 forward played sparingly during the 1950-51 season before his role exploded in his junior and senior seasons. A team-captain on the 1952-53 team, Bertelkamp averaged 14.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
Tennessee posted a 36-30 record in Bertelkamp’s three seasons including a 13-8 record in his senior season with victories over Texas, Florida, Alabama and Vanderbilt.
A Louisville, Kentucky native, Hank put down his roots in Knoxville. Hank’s son, Bert, was a four-year standout for Tennessee basketball including three years as a starter. Bert helped Tennessee win the 1977 SEC Tournament and still holds the program’s NCAA Tournament single-game assist record. He was later the Vol Network color commentator for 26 years.
Hank often gave back to the Tennessee basketball program following his playing days. The men’s basketball offices at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center are named in Hank’s honor. The University dedicated it to Hank with a ceremony in 2011.
Hank and Bert established the Bertelkamp Scholarship Endowment Fund in 2004. It is still active today with sophomore guard Bishop Boswell receiving the endowment this academic year.
Hank founded Bertelkamp Automation Inc., a Knoxville-based industrial automation solutions provider, where Bert is now president. The company is charitably active in Knoxville, giving to the United Way of Greater Knoxville, the McNabb Center and other local charities.
