14 Joseph Hagan

Joseph Hagan was born Joseph Edward Hagan on July 13, 1918, in Louisville, Kentucky, to Joseph Richard Hagan and Mary Catherine (or Mary C.) Hagan. Nicknamed “Red” because of his distinctive hair, he attended Louisville Male High School before transferring to St. Xavier High School, where he developed into one of Kentucky’s premier prep athletes. A three-sport letterman in football, basketball, and baseball, Hagan was widely praised in Louisville newspapers for his all-around ability. Contemporary accounts described him as an All-State caliber basketball player who “nearly stole the show” against rival Male High while leading all scorers and limiting the opponent’s top scorer to just three points. Despite battling illness during the district tournament, he played every minute, led all scorers, and was regarded as one of the most dangerous basketball players in the Falls Cities.

Hagan enrolled at the University of Kentucky in 1934, where freshman eligibility rules limited him to the Wildcats’ freshman team during his first season. Playing under freshman coach Paul McBrayer, he immediately established himself as one of Kentucky’s top young players, leading the freshmen in scoring in several games, including a nine-point performance against Manual Training High School in December 1934. His early success confirmed the promise that had made him one of Louisville’s most sought-after high school athletes.

Beginning with the 1935-36 season, Hagan became a key contributor for Adolph Rupp’s varsity basketball teams. A rugged 6-foot-2 forward known for his accurate outside shooting, rebounding, and physical defense, he helped Kentucky capture three consecutive Southeastern Conference championships. He was one of the Wildcats’ most dependable performers during the 1936-37 and 1937-38 seasons, frequently ranking among the team’s leading scorers while earning praise for his versatility and leadership. During Kentucky’s celebrated 1937 Sugar Bowl basketball tournament championship in New Orleans, Hagan played a major role as the Wildcats defeated Pittsburgh and other top competition to claim the title. He finished his collegiate basketball career as a three-year letterman and one of the leaders of Rupp’s early championship teams.

Hagan was equally accomplished on the football field. An end on Coach Chet Wynne’s teams, he earned varsity letters and was selected co-captain of Kentucky’s 1937 football team. Coaches and teammates admired his toughness, work ethic, and leadership, and publications of the era described him as one of the hardest-working members of the squad. His athletic versatility also extended to baseball, where he played for Kentucky during the revival of the program in the late 1930s. Coaches viewed him as one of the team’s most valuable returning players, and his powerful hitting was frequently highlighted in university publications.

Beyond athletics, Hagan was active in campus life and appeared throughout University of Kentucky publications, reflecting his prominence as one of the school’s outstanding student-athletes. His classmates knew him simply as “Red,” a nickname that followed him throughout his athletic career.

Following graduation, Hagan devoted his professional life to education and coaching. He spent 42 years with Jefferson County Public High Schools as a teacher, coach, and athletic administrator, positively influencing generations of Kentucky students. His lifelong commitment to athletics and education earned him induction into the St. Xavier High School Athletic Hall of Fame and the Jefferson County Athletic Directors Hall of Fame. He also remained an active member of St. Raphael the Archangel Church and was remembered with pride as both a former University of Kentucky basketball player and co-captain of the Wildcats football team.

Joseph Edward “Joe” “Red” Hagan died on December 26, 2003, at the age of 85. His legacy lives on through his achievements as one of Kentucky’s outstanding multi-sport athletes of the 1930s and through the decades he dedicated to coaching, teaching, and mentoring young people in Jefferson County. He remains one of the relatively few Wildcats to earn distinction in basketball, football, and baseball while helping establish the winning tradition that would become synonymous with Kentucky athletics.