William Blanton

William Blanton was born William Watts Blanton on August 30, 1904, in Richmond, Kentucky. The son of Dr. Harry Martin Blanton and Ethel Watts Blanton, he spent his youth attending local public schools and graduated from Model High School. Standing 5 feet, 10 inches tall, the promising forward enrolled at the University of Kentucky in the fall of 1921. He immediately became active in campus life, pledging the Kentucky Epsilon chapter of Phi Delta Theta during his freshman year. Blanton’s early years in Richmond and his prep training at Model High prepared him for a highly collaborative collegiate career that would seamlessly combine varsity athletics with extensive student leadership.

During his years at Kentucky, Blanton proved to be a versatile student leader whose contributions to the university community extended far beyond the basketball court. He was a member of the senior honorary society Lamp and Cross, worked on the staff of *The Kentuckian* yearbook, and was highly active in the booster organization Su-Ky Circle, where he earned his stripes selling peanuts as a freshman. Blanton also served as both the Advertising Manager and Business Manager for *The Kentucky Kernel* student newspaper, and managed the business affairs of the Strollers dramatic society, in which he also acted. An exceptionally diligent student, he skipped a grade to graduate a year ahead of schedule with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1924, before earning his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the College of Law in 1926. Blanton’s lifelong dedication to the Big Blue Nation eventually culminated in his election as President of the University of Kentucky Alumni Association in 1939.

On the hardwood, Blanton played forward during the 1922–23 season, with his most memorable performance coming in March 1923 when he subbed into the game and scored two points to help the Wildcats defeat the Sewanee Tigers 30–14. He concluded his collegiate basketball career with three game appearances, one field goal, and two total points. Following graduation, Blanton established a successful legal career in Paris, Kentucky, practicing with the firm of Bradley and Blanton for over thirty years. He served as Paris City Attorney from 1928 to 1930, Paris Police Judge from 1930 to 1940, and represented Bourbon County in the Kentucky General Assembly as both a State Representative in the 67th District and a State Senator. Blanton also served as Director for the Kentucky Department of Motor Transportation and chaired the Bourbon County Democratic Party from 1956 until his passing on June 15, 1966, leaving an enduring legacy of service to his state and his alma mater.