10 Elmo Head

Elmo Head was born Elmo Curtis Head on September 15, 1917, in Stamping Ground, Kentucky, to Burra Head and Rebecca Curtis Head. A 5-foot-10, 146-pound forward associated with Bryan Station before college, Head arrived at the University of Kentucky during Adolph Rupp’s formative years in Lexington.

Head appeared in nine games during the 1936–37 season, scoring 16 points as Kentucky finished 17–5. The Wildcats claimed both the SEC regular-season championship and the SEC Tournament title, defeating Tennessee, 39–25, in the championship game.

As a sophomore in 1937–38, Head played in 10 games and scored 12 points. The Kentucky Kernel described him as a “scrappy soph” who was capable of providing valuable minutes at forward. Kentucky went undefeated in conference play and captured the Sugar Bowl championship with a 40–29 victory over Pittsburgh in New Orleans.

During his senior season in 1938–39, Head competed with Keith Farnsley and Cab Curtis for playing time at forward. He appeared in 13 games and scored 25 points as the Wildcats recovered from a difficult midseason stretch by winning their final 11 games.

That winning streak included a double-overtime victory at Tennessee and three consecutive triumphs in the SEC Tournament. Kentucky defeated Tennessee, 46–38, in the championship game to secure another SEC title. Head finished his three varsity seasons with 53 points in 32 games and earned letters in 1937, 1938 and 1939, contributing to championship teams in each season.

After his senior season, Head was selected for a Kentucky all-star team that faced a squad of former Indiana college stars in Evansville. The Kentucky roster also included Bernie Opper, Homer “Tub” Thompson, Cab Curtis and former Wildcats Warfield Donohue and Joe Hagan. Head was active elsewhere on campus as treasurer of UK’s “K” Club, an organization of varsity lettermen, and also competed in track. He earned his degree through UK’s College of Education.

Head began his professional career as principal and basketball coach at Irvine High School, serving there from 1938 until 1943. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps’ special athletics unit and played basketball for the Marines. In 1945, he was selected as the outstanding athlete on the West Coast.

Head later returned to Shelbyville, where he spent 14 years as a principal and basketball coach and served as president of the Shelbyville School Board. He joined Farmers & Traders Bank in 1959 and was appointed its president in 1969. Head died suddenly of a heart attack at his Shelbyville home on January 28, 1971, at age 53. He was survived by his wife, the former Thelma Renfro, and their sons, Elmo Jr. and Randy, and was buried in Grove Hill Cemetery.