
- Name
- Dick Parsons
- Position
- Guard
- Class
- SR
- Hometown (Last School)
- Yancey, KY (Harlan High)
- Ht
- 5'9"
- Wt
- 155
- Seasons
- 1958-59, 1959-60, 1960-61
- Birthday
- May 31, 1938
From the 1961 University of Kentucky Media Guide:
Captain of the 1961 Wildcats and one of the most honored athletes in UK history, Dick (Little Man) Parsons is a diminutive (5-9 and 155) playmaker equally dangerous in every phase of the cage game. The smallest regular ever to play for Coach Rupp, he can dash in for the quick trip or hit with deadly accuracy on a two-hand push from far out. And Rupp considers Parsons one of the squad’s best defensive artists. He also is captain-elect of the ’61 UK baseball team and won All-SEC shortstop honors, treasurer of the K Club (lettermen’s group), a recent inductee of Omicron Delta Kappa (national men’s leadership society), recognized last spring as the “Outstanding Student of the College of Education” and was 1959-60 winner of the Chandler Trophy—given annually by Radio Station WVLK in the name of ex-Governor A. B. (Happy) Chandler to the outstanding cager. While many off-court honors have been heaped on this 22-year-old native son, he has earned much respect for his basketball accomplishments as well. True to the tradition of small and elusive Kentucky guards, he is a quick-thinking competitor who makes up in hustle and determination what he lacks in size. He has missed only two games in his collegiate career, both last season when he was forced to sit out the Ohio State and Alabama tilts with injuries. Parsons, who is not prone to getting hurt but takes a terrific physical beating in most games, previously had logged time in 17 freshman contests, all 27 games as a soph, and the first eight last season., Dick was a four-sport star at Harlan High—the same school that produced UK All-America cager Wah Wah Jones. Quarterbacked his high school grid squad, ran the 880 in track and hit .450 his final season in baseball as well as starring at guard on the basketball team. Second team All-State in his senior year and scored 1,277 points for three-year schoolboy career. Also third in graduating class.
He was the coach of the Kentucky Wildcats baseball team from 1970 to 1972 and was also an assistant coach for the Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team from 1970 to 1980 under Joe B. Hall.
