50 Years Plus Club

[spartacat]

Seems like a lot of old blue farts on here. How many have been following UK for 50 years plus? I will start. I started following the Year of the Kennedy assassination, 1963.
That year I signed on with the Cleveland Browns, LA Dodgers and LA Lakers. Have followed all through thick and thin.

 

[dlh331]

1958 for me. I was 7; my brother and Johnny Cox were friends (we lived in Hazard)

So.....62 years for me

 

[Guess Who]

since Cotton Nash days......

 

[Elliott Tim]

Seems like a lot of old blue farts on here. How many have been following UK for 50 years plus? I will start. I started following the Year of the Kennedy assassination, 1963.
That year I signed on with the Cleveland Browns, LA Dodgers and LA Lakers. Have followed all through thick and thin.

68 years old. Big Blue as far back as I can remember. Laker, Red's, Yankees and Ohio St.
football fan too.

 

[docholiday51]

1958 for me. I was 7; my brother and Johnny Cox were friends (we lived in Hazard)

So.....62 years for me

Same year for me and about the same age,been a hell of a ride on the Glory Road. Hope we just getting started bro.

 

[FL2287]

1958 for me. I will turn 80 on April 30th. Loved every second of it. Was in the gym watching our high school play Lexington high back in 1958, when coach Rupp came in to watch is son play.

 

[On-On-UK_rivals45415]

I was 10 in 1966. My dad introduced me to WHAS Radio and Caywood Ledford.

 

[MdWIldcat55]

Born and bred but the first team I actually remember is Rupp’s Runts, 1966.

 

[Bratkartoffeln]

Since the early 60s. Cotton Nash was the name I can remember most associated with my BBN awakening. My earliest memories of life itself contain many different things, but some of those are recollections of things like Nash, learning about Kentucky and UK, knowing that blue was a special color, and going to see the Cats play Michigan against Cazzie Russell, I think in 1965. Rupp's Runts really opened the Big Blue flood gates, essentially a cross from going to heaven to living in Hawaii for life! How lucky to be American, speak English, be from Kentucky and an alumnus of UK. Blue veins forever!!! And when we old grays hairs can take stock of that segment of Kentucky basketball history, it is quite the story to be able to tell to others. We could write a damn good book!

 

[Indyadolph]

1970. The Dan Issel team. I was in the 3rd grade. But probably more so the next year, the 70-71 season. I was completely and totally hooked by the time the '75 season rolled around. Hooked to the point that I didn't want to talk to anybody after a loss.

Attended UK my Freshman year, 1979-80. Then I changed majors and finished up at WKU. Had a blast attending those home games during that season. December of '79 corporal bobby knight brought his #1 Hoosiers into Rupp. IU led by 11 at the half. You could hear the proverbial "pin drop" it was so quiet inside Rupp.
But The Cats out-scored the corporal's troops by TWENTY-TWO in the 2nd half for huge win!!!! At one point (and I've seen it posted here in the Rafters) in the 2nd half Charlie Hurt had a break-away dunk that just about brought the roof down!!!

Senior night: Jay Shidler, Lavon Williams and Captain Kyle Macy. I actually knew people that cried that night.

But even before the 1970 Issel team, I have vivid memories of sitting around the house watching my Dad and older brother listening to the games on the radio. My Mom would make popcorn at half-time! Going to Freedom Hall around New Years to watch the shoot-around the day of the Notre Dame game.

My older brother had 7 pictures on his bedroom wall in the mid-sixties:
John, Paul, George and Ringo. Maybe you've heard of those dudes.
And then he had three other black and white photos: Cotton Nash, Pat Riley and Louie Dampier.
Same brother had the album "Great Moments in UK Basketball with Adolph Rupp".
Man, I've heard that album 797 times! Speaking of the Notre Dame shoot-around, I went my Senior year in high school and they were selling that album at Freedom Hall. Bought my own copy!

Cawood: Coach Rupp, let's talk a little bit about some of the great teams and great players we've had here at Kentucky.
Adolph: Well, Cawood, that would take a long, long time.......

There's nothing quite like Big Blue Nation!!!

 

[wildcatwelder_rivals]

Seems like a lot of old blue farts on here. How many have been following UK for 50 years plus? I will start. I started following the Year of the Kennedy assassination, 1963.
That year I signed on with the Cleveland Browns, LA Dodgers and LA Lakers. Have followed all through thick and thin.

I'm "only" 57, but I've been a Cat fan since I was @ 7, so I suppose I qualify.

 

[SuporChin]

Love hearing stories from the older fans. Gotta respect someone that's been a fan since Cotton Nash or Rupps Runts. BBN be around a long, long time.

 

[HagginHall1999]

I will turn 144 years of age before the calendar turns. I was childhood friends of WW Mustaine. We grew up in Horse Cave, KY just a gallop due East of Mammoth Cave National Park.

He and I attended Centre College and were commissioned the Spring of Eighteen Hundred and Ninety Nine, but had a kerfuffle over a gal and henceforth lost touch.

I do declare it has been a whale of a journey as an enthusiast of The University of Kentucky Men's Peach Basket team.

From the advent of color picture shows, the disposable razor blade and cellophane, one thing has never changed and that is my admiration of the University I so do adore.

 

[Graham51]

Started listening to UK in late 40's. I remember the 1948 team that was teamed up with the AAU team the Phillips Oilers to play in the '48 olympics.
Age wise I am 86.

 

[mdlUK.1]

I kinda remember Cotton Nash but really got into it with Rupps Runts,

 

[bfawns_]

My love started in1957 in my Jr year of high school. I've been a "fanatic" ever since. I'll be 80 next month if the Lord's willing and I'll follow them until I'm gone!

 

[MNantz]

I started really following the cats in the Issel days, but remember listening to games on the old philco radio on those cold winter nights in the tobacco stripping room before that , Hard to believe but you could have heard a pin drop in the place while Cawood was talking .

 

[gollumcat]

I’m 59 and started serious fandom at about age 5-6, so I’m in.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Seems like a lot of old blue farts on here. How many have been following UK for 50 years plus? I will start. I started following the Year of the Kennedy assassination, 1963.
That year I signed on with the Cleveland Browns, LA Dodgers and LA Lakers. Have followed all through thick and thin.

I'm 69...started at 11 keeping stats listening on the radio to Cawood.

 

[sluggercatfan]

I kinda remember Cotton Nash but really got into it with Rupps Runts,

Got to meet Cotton when his son was playing baseball for l think it was Princeton , when they came in to my work. One of my early favorites!

 

[TeoJ]

Big Ned Jennings was the first name I remember.

 

[Jazzycat]

Remember going to the airport to greet the 1963 team and meeting Terry Mobley (He reached down and shook my hand) and seeing Cotton Nash. I was a wee lass of 6 years old, so I didn't quite understand all of the excitement at the time. That was my first exposure to UK basketball. My parents have been huge UK fans for as long as I can remember. I can also remember going to Stoll field and watching football games in the early years. Those concrete bleachers were cold and hard.

That has been 57 years, so I guess that makes me a member. Wow, time does fly by when you are having fun.

 

[working fire]

My dad would come home from work and go to the bedroom, turn out the lights and listen to the Cats on the radio. I could lay there and listen too as long as I laid still and didn’t talk or else I got kicked out. There was a reverence about laying next to my dad and listening to Cawood call the games. The first players I remember were Ishmael,Deeken,Nash,Embry,Pursivul and others. My first football players were Hershel Turner, Jerry Woolum, Sam Ball, Tom Hutchinson, and then Roger Bird, Rick Kestner, Rick Norton and Larry Sieple. Around 60 years for me and still going strong! Go Big Blue!!

 

[KYCAT78]

1968 I was 12 and became interested in a sport other than Little League baseball.

 

[spartacat]

Started listening to UK in late 40's. I remember the 1948 team that was teamed up with the AAU team the Phillips Oilers to play in the '48 olympics.
Age wise I am 86.

Loved listening to dad talk about Wah Wah, Groza , Beard , Rollins, Barker. CONGRATS: Unless someone knocks you off the totem pole you are the eldest in our club

 

[John Henry]

1948 Fabulous Five. I was a young pup.

 

[spartacat]

I'm 69...started at 11 keeping stats listening on the radio to Cawood.

I did the same thing. Always had three sharp pencils at the ready. Had to catch the pregame with cawood so I could get the opposing teams lineup. Always had the stats ready when dad would ask me what Cotton , Louie, Pat had.

 

[lsvljoe]

Since Cotton Nash days, and listened To WHAS Claude Sullivan I believe.

 

[Bratkartoffeln]

1970. The Dan Issel team. I was in the 3rd grade. But probably more so the next year, the 70-71 season. I was completely and totally hooked by the time the '75 season rolled around. Hooked to the point that I didn't want to talk to anybody after a loss.

Attended UK my Freshman year, 1979-80. Then I changed majors and finished up at WKU. Had a blast attending those home games during that season. December of '79 corporal bobby knight brought his #1 Hoosiers into Rupp. IU led by 11 at the half. You could hear the proverbial "pin drop" it was so quiet inside Rupp.
But The Cats out-scored the corporal's troops by TWENTY-TWO in the 2nd half for huge win!!!! At one point (and I've seen it posted here in the Rafters) in the 2nd half Charlie Hurt had a break-away dunk that just about brought the roof down!!!

Senior night: Jay Shidler, Lavon Williams and Captain Kyle Macy. I actually knew people that cried that night.

But even before the 1970 Issel team, I have vivid memories of sitting around the house watching my Dad and older brother listening to the games on the radio. My Mom would make popcorn at half-time! Going to Freedom Hall around New Years to watch the shoot-around the day of the Notre Dame game.

My older brother had 7 pictures on his bedroom wall in the mid-sixties:
John, Paul, George and Ringo. Maybe you've heard of those dudes.
And then he had three other black and white photos: Cotton Nash, Pat Riley and Louie Dampier.
Same brother had the album "Great Moments in UK Basketball with Adolph Rupp".
Man, I've heard that album 797 times! Speaking of the Notre Dame shoot-around, I went my Senior year in high school and they were selling that album at Freedom Hall. Bought my own copy!

Cawood: Coach Rupp, let's talk a little bit about some of the great teams and great players we've had here at Kentucky.
Adolph: Well, Cawood, that would take a long, long time.......

There's nothing quite like Big Blue Nation!!!

These are precisely the kinds of memories that make being 63 years old so sweet...we've lived through and cherished so many of the highs associated with UK basketball for a glory road of over 50 years! How amazing to have those wonderful moments, some of them you speak about here, locked in the brain. I too have that record, an awesome compendium of recordings by Claude Sullivan, Cawood, and Adolph Rupp himself. I remember that he enjoyed going through the stats on the radio with Cawood after the games. His voice...I can still hear it. We revered him even in his last days, and of course Cawood was the very best. These were two superstars of the star-studded program along with guys like Issel, Pratt, and Casey, Dampier, Conley, and Riley before them. Cotton Nash even could be considered one of the greats of all time in college and yet is so unknown to most of America. And, we're not even talking about the guys in the 40s and 50s. There is really no question about which program sits at the very top and if you're from Kentucky with gray or hair, you've been suitably entertained for ions! What a blessing to be card-carrying members of BBN!

 

[ekywildcat_rivals26726]

Be 68 in July, started listening in the Rupps Runts years. Texas Tech was the first game I remember listening to. Talked mom into buying me a scorebook at Terry Office Supply and I would keep score.

I remember the post game show listening to Coach Rupp, being as entertaining as the game. Good times. I was devastated when I heard Coach Rupp was being forced to retire, because he wouldn't be there to coach me! I had big dreams!

 

[sk73]

Started in the early sixties. Like many of you I kept a score sheet for every game. Pat Riley was my first UK superstar.
I am a St. Louis Cardinal fan also. I started loving both teams about the same time. I saw Stan Musial play but it was during his last year.

 

[uky8unc5]

I was born in Ky but moved to Ohio at 3. My Parents were both UK fans, but the only thing on Radio (and later TV) was the Buckeyes.

To this day, I still pull for Ohio State (deal with it).

But we moved south to Portsmouth (on the river). And from late 50's on, I was a loyal UK fan (as was my Pop).

NOTE: Young Fans today have no idea what it is like "watching" games through the eyes of Claude Sullivan and Cawood ("Got it!").

 

[fla.cat]

It was Cotton Nash. I was playing on the 8th grade team as frequent sub, although only in the 7th grade. The coach made a believer out of me that I could play some ball, in that, the first organized ball, in which I had participated. He shared newspapers, and magazines of Cotton, who was a huge item at the time, In this day and time, Cotton would have been a media sensation, and worth millions. He had it all, could play, handsome, million dollar smile, articulate, and he just had “IT”.
The Texas Western lost was my first heartbreak in life (still is number on a short list) and I was devastated. My Dad, who had survived polio, following WW II, after surviving Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge, tried to explain that it wasn’t the end of the world. He had seen the worst, and lost the use of his legs as well. He never was successful at really doing much to get me over that loss, to a young impressionable Kentucky country boy, That is the bitterest UK loss to me, outside of 2013 to Wisconsin, with not playing Anderson as a third.
Go cats.

 

[Whatsup]

I’m 63 and have been a fan since 6 years old. My uncle loved the cats and I would stay overnight with him and my aunt every time U.K. played. My Dad and Mon where never interested in sports. Both worked two jobs and hardly ever watched tv. I was taken to my first U.K. game at memorial by Charles Long. Charles was the Mayor. He was the longest serving mayor in the U.S. I miss those days a lot.

 

[Piocat]

Been watching RR for a looooooong time, but never posted. Time to post in the corona-era. I was 9 years old and cried when Rupp's Runts lost to Texas Western. Got to see my first game in Memorial Coliseum when the Cats played North Carolina on December 13, 1966. Vividly remember the program that had an outline of a foot with a big black smudge on the heel. I still have no idea what in the hell a tarheel is, but the memory lingers. I also remember listening to Cawood and keeping stats from the broadcasts and comparing them to the box scores in the Herald Leader the next day.
Letting y'all know also that I have a virtual NCAA tournament going on in my alternate universe and Kansas lost the opening round game to Siena! The Cats, of course, beat North Dakota State and play Arizona State tomorrow. That being said, my 50-years plus club membership continues alive and well!

 

[davekersey]

since 1970

 

[dlh331]

I was born in Ky but moved to Ohio at 3. My Parents were both UK fans, but the only thing on Radio (and later TV) was the Buckeyes.

To this day, I still pull for Ohio State (deal with it).

But we moved south to Portsmouth (on the river). And from late 50's on, I was a loyal UK fan (as was my Pop).

NOTE: Young Fans today have no idea what it is like "watching" games through the eyes of Claude Sullivan and Cawood ("Got it!").

One of my best friends lived in South Shore Kentucky. He married Dr. Collin’s daughter.

IIRC Don Gullett was from there too

 

[Ukcatlee]

I remember listening to Cawood with my dad when I was 7 (1963). Remember the 66 championship game on black and white TV. Longtime Packers and Yankees fan also.

 

[Backer cutter]

Since mid-late 60’s, don’t remember what year I first started listening to Cawood, but I was pretty young.

 

[uky8unc5]

One of my best friends lived in South Shore Kentucky. He married Dr. Collin’s daughter. IIRC Don Gullett was from there too

Two of my cousins graduated with Gullett from McKell High School.