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Henry Wurtele

Name
Henry Wurtele
Position
Forward
Hometown (Last School)
Shively, KY
Ht
5'10"
Seasons
1902-03, 1903-04
Birthday
January 8, 1884

Legal Name:  Henry Joseph Wurtele
Date of Death: September 15, 1973

Member of Kentucky’s first basketball team.  Member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.

Henry Joseph Wurtele was a Louisville, Kentucky native and graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1904.  Married Ida Reid Huey on January 5, 1910.

At the completion of his college work, Wurtele was employed for several months on a surveying project for a traction line between Versailles and Frankfort, Kentucky. He spent two years with the Chicago & Alton Railroad at Springfield, Illinois then went to work for the Gary Works of the Indiana Steel Co. in Gary, Indiana.  He was employed in the construction department of the Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Company in 1907 and was appointed general superintendent of the company’s transportation department on September 6, 1935.  In 1937, Mr. Wurtele was named vice president and director of the Birmingham Southern Railroad, a position he held until his retirement in 1952.

His daughter, Lolla Catherine Wurtele Wright, served 25 years as the first lady of Samford University and was caretaker for a series of mascot bulldogs for the university.

Next Game

Kentucky vs Tennessee (On time)

On This Day In UK Basketball History

On February 11, 1987, Kentucky defeated Tennessee 91-84 in overtime.  Kentucky was down 10 points to Don DeVoe’s Volunteers with 1:13 left in Rupp Arena when the Wildcats unleashed a ferocious rally. Rex Chapman hit a running 12-footer over 6-foot-11 UT center Doug Roth with three seconds left to force overtime —where UK won before 23,002 fans.  One of the all-time miracle comebacks in Kentucky basketball history.

 

Wildcats Born on This Date

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