- Name
- Charles Gates
- Position
- Guard
- Hometown (Last School)
- Covington, KY
- Seasons
- 1934-35, 1935-36
- Birthday
- May 10, 1912
Charles Gates was born Samuel Charles Gates on May 19, 1912, in Covington, Kentucky, to Samuel Charles Gates, Sr. and Ona Mellan Gates.
In September of 1932, Gates began his college education at Kentucky. While there, he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, national social fraternity. He played on the freshman basketball team during a time when freshman could not play varsity. He suited up for the varsity basketball team in 1934 and 1935.
During Gates’ time at Kentucky, the program enjoyed increasing regional prominence. In the 1933–34 season, Kentucky posted a strong record and continued to build momentum in the Southeastern Conference, which had just been established in 1932. Gates played alongside other key contributors of the decade, helping the Wildcats become a respected force in the SEC.
Gates’ role in Kentucky basketball may not have garnered the national headlines that came with later stars, but players of his era laid the groundwork for the powerhouse the program would become. His dedication and efforts during the formative years of Rupp’s regime helped set the tone for decades of success that followed.
Gates graduated from the University of Kentucky on June 3, 1936, with a Bachelor of Science degree in commerce.
He used his business degree to teach typing and bookkeeping during night classes at Holmes High School to save enough money to start his own business – Gates Home Appliances on Madison Avenue in Covington. They sold all kinds of appliances, toys, and Lionel trains and they were one of the first stores to sell televisions. The store closed in 1977.
Gates died on October 14, 1993, in Covington, at 81.
