Wayne Plummer

Wayne Plummer was born Wildred Wayne Plummer on September 24, 1890, in Newport, Kentucky, to Julius Leonard Plummer and Carrie Belle Gosney Plummer. His father was a longtime Campbell County lawman who served as county sheriff. Plummer later enrolled at Kentucky State College, now the University of Kentucky, where the 5-foot-8, 140-pound athlete competed in basketball, football and baseball.

During his first Kentucky basketball season in 1908–09, Plummer established himself as one of the program’s early lettermen. The university yearbook listed him among the basketball players who earned the “K,” while an account of the freshman-sophomore game identified him as one of its central figures. He also emerged as a promising baseball player and competed in football.

During the 1909–10 season, Plummer played forward for Kentucky and accompanied the team on its northern road trip. Contemporary campus coverage praised his performance in a 41–25 victory over the Frankfort YMCA, reporting that he starred for Kentucky and made eight field goals from difficult angles. He also started in Kentucky’s 31–11 victory over Georgetown and remained an important part of the team during a challenging season.

Plummer’s athletic contributions extended well beyond basketball. He earned a varsity letter in baseball and played end for Kentucky’s football team. In Kentucky’s celebrated 6–2 victory over Illinois in 1909, Plummer competed against considerably larger ends and helped break up several forward passes. He later moved to Altoona, Pennsylvania, and died on June 22, 1964, at age 73.