- Name
- Robert Ireland
- Position
- Forward
- Hometown (Last School)
- La Grange, KY (High)
- Ht
- 5'10"
- Seasons
- 1914-15, 1915-16, 1916-17
- Birthday
- February 21, 1894
Robert Ireland was born Robert Young Ireland on February 21, 1894, in New Castle, Kentucky to Richard Ireland and Ann Bradford Gatewood Ireland.
Ireland grew up in La Grange, Kentucky, and attended La Grange High School, where he began to showcase his athletic talents. He later enrolled at the University of Kentucky, where he continued to develop his skills in basketball.
Nicknamed “Boo,” Ireland played forward for the Wildcats from 1914 to 1917. He played 23 games for the Wildcats, scoring 96 points. His most notable game was against Centre College on February 29, 1916, where he scored a career-high 14 points. Ireland was the captain of the 1917 Kentucky basketball team as a junior. He also played baseball and ran track.
In a loss to Tennessee in 1917, the Lexington Herald described Ireland’s play, “Ireland, looking anything but dangerous , went on high gear all through the game. In the middle of the last half, he tied the score by four field goals in a row, tossing them in as easy as dirt. It was as lucky to Kentucky as rolling a natural seven on your last two bits. Things had been looking cheerless until “Boo” broke loose.”
Ireland was also a member of the Alpha Tau Omega social fraternity, the Brooks Engineering Society, and Keys.
Ireland was called to service in the military to support the war. In June 1918, it was reported that he was in San Antonio, Texas learning to become an aviation machine gunner. In September of 1918, it was reported that he was in France.
Following military service, Ireland worked as a civil engineer before retiring.
Ireland passed away on March 15, 1984, in Knoxville, Tennessee, leaving behind a legacy of athletic achievement and community service.
Next Game
Kentucky vs Troy (On time)
