44 Phil Grawemeyer

Phil Grawemeyer was born Phillip Ernest Grawemeyer on October 6, 1934, in Louisville, Kentucky, to Ada Fay Burton and Ernest Lee Grawemeyer. His familiar nickname, “Cookie,” came from a song his mother sang to lull him to sleep as a child. At DuPont Manual High School, he earned All-State and state all-tournament honors in consecutive seasons and captained the Crimsons as a senior. He scored 19 points against Cuba in the 1952 state championship game. His athletic talents extended to baseball, where he pitched three no-hitters during Manual’s 1952 state championship season.

Grawemeyer arrived at Kentucky for the 1952-53 academic year, when the Wildcats’ basketball schedule was suspended. Under freshman coach Harry Lancaster, he moved from his high school position at center to forward and developed through practices and public intrasquad exhibitions. In one freshman-versus-varsity scrimmage, he scored nine points and drew praise for his rebounding and outside shooting. Other exhibitions placed him alongside Kentucky’s veteran stars, giving the young left-hander valuable experience before his varsity debut.

As a sophomore in 1953-54, Grawemeyer helped Kentucky return to competition with an undefeated 25-0 season and the Helms Athletic Foundation national championship. Adolph Rupp singled him out during preseason practice for his improvement, and he eventually started more than half the Wildcats’ games. His speed, work on both backboards, and left-handed shooting made him a valuable complement to Cliff Hagan, Frank Ramsey, and Lou Tsioropoulos. Kentucky declined the NCAA Tournament after those three graduate players were ruled ineligible, leaving its perfect season without a tournament appearance.

Grawemeyer became a major contributor as a junior in 1954-55, averaging 13 points and 13.5 rebounds. Comfortable at either forward or center, he supplied the Wildcats with inside strength and outside shooting while sharing the frontcourt with Bob Burrow and Jerry Bird. His promising season ended abruptly on February 19, 1955, when he broke his left fibula against DePaul in Chicago. The injury cost Kentucky an important starter for the remainder of the basketball season and also prevented him from pitching that spring.

His teammates elected Grawemeyer captain for the 1955-56 season. Returning from the broken leg, he joined Burrow and Bird in an experienced senior frontcourt. His left-handed jumper and hook shot helped Kentucky attack zone defenses, while his rebounding remained an important part of his contribution. He also delivered when a game needed finishing: in the season-opening victory at LSU, three quick baskets in the closing minutes helped secure Kentucky’s 62-52 win.

Among Grawemeyer’s finest performances was his 27-point effort in Kentucky’s 70-65 victory over Utah in the 1954 UK Invitational Tournament championship game. He later called that victory his greatest sports thrill and identified Utah as the toughest opponent he had faced. Earlier that season, he opened with 28 points against LSU. His emergence had begun the previous December, when his scoring helped Kentucky rally against LaSalle, the team that would win the 1954 NCAA championship.

Beyond basketball, Grawemeyer belonged to the K-Club and was elected Circle K vice president in fall 1955. He continued pitching for Kentucky through spring 1957 and graduated that May with a business administration degree. Selected by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1956 NBA Draft and pursued through baseball drafts by the Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Cardinals, he never played professionally. He married Mary Lou Kaiser in 1956, raised two daughters, and later worked for the state highway department and in real estate development. His No. 44 jersey was retired, and he entered the inaugural UK Athletics Hall of Fame class in 2005. Grawemeyer died on March 20, 2008, from complications of lung cancer in Louisville. He was 73.