- Name
- Gary Gamble
- Position
- Forward
- Class
- SR
- Hometown (Last School)
- Earlington, KY (High)
- Ht
- 6'4"
- Wt
- 185
- Seasons
- 1965-66, 1966-67, 1967-68
- Birthday
- March 28, 1946
Gary Gamble was born Gary Curtis Gamble on March 28, 1946, in Hopkins County, Kentucky, to Hazel Newbolt Allen and Hanson Gamble. Gamble was a forward for the University of Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team from 1965 to 1968. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 185 pounds, he hailed from Earlington, Kentucky, and played under the legendary coach Adolph Rupp.
Gamble attended Earlington High School in Hopkins County, Kentucky, where he developed his basketball skills and earned recognition that led to his recruitment by the University of Kentucky. The highest schoolboy honor attained was an honorable mention on the All-State team. He materially aided the Earlington High Yellow Jackets in pursuit of the best record in school history as they posted a mark of 25 wins in 30 outings. He led Jackets to a 19-8 season as a senior, although he saw limited service for several games due to a leg injury. He still led the team in scoring with a 20.5 average and was the leading rebounder in the county with a 15.3 per game average. The lean youngster hit on 55 percent of his field goal attempts and connected on 81 percent of his free throws. His best game was a 40-point outing to go with 28 rebounds. He also picked up five schoolboy letters in baseball.
Gamble joined the Wildcats as a sophomore for the 1965–66 season. During his tenure, he was a key reserve on the renowned “Rupp’s Runts,” a team notable for its lack of height but exceptional performance, finishing as the NCAA runner-up in 1966. Gamble’s teammates included prominent players like Pat Riley and Louie Dampier.
Throughout his three seasons, Gamble contributed as a reliable role player. In his senior year (1967–68), he averaged 3.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
Gamble was inducted into the Hopkins County Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
While Gamble’s statistical contributions were modest, his role in supporting one of Kentucky’s memorable teams under Coach Rupp is part of the Wildcats’ rich basketball history.
