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From the 1961 University of Kentucky Media Guide: At a towering 6 ft., 9 in., Ned Jennings is the tallest Wildcat since seven-foot Bill Spivey and for the fourth straight year of his collegiate career is the key man in Kentucky’s plans for a successful season. If he rounds into shape and reaches the form…
Don Mills was born on April 8, 1937, in Clay County, Kentucky, to Clarence T. Mills and Myrtle Carnes Mills. Mills moved to Berea in the late 1940’s where he was introduced to two of the loves of his life, Kay Baker, who later became his wife, and basketball. While at Berea Community High School,…
Obituary – UK Men’s Basketball National Champion Ed Beck Dead at 83, UK Official Wildcat Website (October 17, 2019) by Deb Moore SUN CITY, Ariz. – Ed Beck, a men’s basketball national champion, died Wednesday. He was 83. Beck was a two-year captain (1956-58) under legendary head coach Adolph Rupp and was a tremendous leader for the Wildcats, particularly…
Bob Burrow was born Robert Brantley Burrow on June 29, 1934, in Big Creek, Arkansas to Martin E. and Decie L. Burrow. His father, Martin, was a lumberjack. Burrow was a two-time All-American at Kentucky where he averaged 20.1 points and 16.1 rebounds in two seasons played. Burrow played high school basketball in Wells, Texas.…
Harold Hurst was born Harold Mason Hurst on September 28, 1933, in Ezel, Kentucky to Virginia and Samuel Hurst. He had one sister, Bettie Carol. A standout performer at Powell County High, Hurst averaged 29 points a game in his senior year and was a third-team All-State selection. He had a good shooting eye and…
Dan Swartz was born Daniel Scott Swartz on December 23, 1931, in Olympia, Kentucky to Roosevelt and Grace Shultz Swartz. “Dangerous Dan,” as he was known in high school, was another Kentucky product (from Owingsville) and an All-State selection. He scored more points in his senior year as a prep standout (1950-51) than any other…
Cliff Hagan was born Clifford Oldham Hagan on December 9, 1931, in Owensboro, Kentucky. Basketball captured his imagination in grade school, and by his sophomore season at Owensboro High School he was already recognized among the state’s finest players. Hagan became a Kentucky schoolboy legend during the 1949 state tournament, scoring a then-record 41 points…
Bill Spivey was born on March 19, 1929, in Lakeland, Florida. Growing up in Georgia, the towering center developed into one of the most highly sought-after basketball prospects in the country. As a 6-foot-8 sophomore, there were no sneakers large enough to fit him, forcing him to play an entire season wearing three pairs of…
Alex Groza was born on October 7, 1926, in Martins Ferry, Ohio. The son of John and Mary Groza, he grew up in an athletic family that included his younger brother, Lou, who would later become a Pro Football Hall of Famer. At Martins Ferry High School, the 6-foot-7 center developed into one of the…
Obituary – Campbell, Lexington Herald-Leader (October 13, 1999) Kenton “Dutch” Campbell, 73, a University of Kentucky football and basketball player in the 1940’s, died of sudden heart failure at his home in Maitland, FL. Mr. Campbell, a 1948 U.K. graduate, came to Kentucky from Ohio on a football scholarship. He played two years of football and four years of…