I miss Cawood

[FactCheckerUSA]

It hurts knowing young fans will never hear him call games. It was such a big part of my youth.

Do you have any favorite memories of him?

 

[Rush2112 UK]

It hurts knowing young fans will never hear him call games. It was such a big part of my youth.

Do you have any favorite memories of him?

There are so many, but it's a line from his last game- vs. Duke, of course- that I always remember most. I think it was late in the first half; obviously exasperated by the one-sided officiating, he said, "I guess they're not gonna call a foul on Duke tonight, Ralph."

[roll] He was the best ever.

 

[akaukswoosh]

I miss him too but have to say I think Leach does a great job.

 

[serdi]

I miss everything about Cawood. I have a couple of tapes of games off the radio in the late 60s before he had an analyst...he only had Jack Cook come in at halftime to give the stats and interview somebody while Cawood went out to have a couple of cigarettes. He was, at his best when he was doing the games solo.

What I really miss as much or more than Cawood is that so many of today's fans never saw a game at Memorial Coliseum when it was home of the Wildcats and before Rupp Arena existed. People complain about the lack of noise at Rupp, the perceived lack of homecourt advantage of Rupp. Memorial Coliseum was louder and more of a homecourt advantage. Best basketball venue ever.

 

[77blueuk]

I miss everything about Cawood. I have a couple of tapes of games off the radio in the late 60s before he had an analyst...he only had Jack Cook come in at halftime to give the stats and interview somebody while Cawood went out to have a couple of cigarettes. He was, at his best when he was doing the games solo.

What I really miss as much or more than Cawood is that so many of today's fans never saw a game at Memorial Coliseum when it was home of the Wildcats and before Rupp Arena existed. People complain about the lack of noise at Rupp, the perceived lack of homecourt advantage of Rupp. Memorial Coliseum was louder and more of a homecourt advantage. Best basketball venue ever.

You're right about Memorial Coliseum. I used to go to games with my Dad, before the fire marshall, standing room only. We would stand in line outside in the cold for tickets, which only cost $2 each. Then, we would sit on the concrete right next to someone that had a seat on the isle. Or, stand behind someone further up, wherever you could find a place to see. It's probably why I'm still a fan in my mid 60's, even though I moved away from KY 30 years ago.

 

[TeoJ]

Got to meet him one time and felt like a little kid,he made me feel like we had been friends for years.He came back in the next day to have lunch and chat some more.He tried to pay for lunch and the owner told him he would lose his bartender if he took his money.[cheers]

 

[Cawood86_rivals]

Inate ability to make you be able to see the game without seeing it. A voice from God. Not afraid to criticize when warranted. Praise the same way.
Simple the best to ever do it imo.

 

[Kybluedude]

Got to meet him one time and felt like a little kid,he made me feel like we had been friends for years.He came back in the next day to have lunch and chat some more.He tried to pay for lunch and the owner told him he would lose his bartender if he took his money.[cheers]

Curious where and when?

 

[TeoJ]

Madison,Ind 1977,I bartended at the 307 saloon and eating establishment.He was there as the Grand Marshall of the Regatta parade.

 

[mfritzg1]

It hurts knowing young fans will never hear him call games. It was such a big part of my youth.

Do you have any favorite memories of him?

Yes, Cawood saying Kentucky moving left to right on your radio dial! And the fact that he also did football, Boxing, horse racing and was once offered to do the play-by-play of the Reds but turned them down because they wouldn't let him skip Saturday broadcast's during football season!

 

[flacat22]

Yes, Cawood saying Kentucky moving left to right on your radio dial!

Yes, that was my favorite!!

 

[TeoJ]

Folks! the Cats are flat tonight.
Dampier for two......got it.
the Cats are going to war on the boards.

 

[kevcat]

It hurts knowing young fans will never hear him call games. It was such a big part of my youth.

Do you have any favorite memories of him?

Same here. I remember growing up in a trailer without heat in the winter. My brother and I had a transistor radio. We huddled by the radio and listened to Cawood and Ralph call every game. My brother always kept every stat in his old time scoring book.

Hardly any games were on tv. We both loved the Goose. He was by far our favorite player.

My Mom worked three crappy jobs just to put a roof over our heads. We still had nothing of substance.
For some reason though, I still have fond memories of those times.

To this day, I can still hear Cawood‘s voice calling plays. I loved everything about that man. Obviously he was extremely talented, but he was brutally honest calling games. If a player sucked, he would tell you that. The snowflakes of today would probably have protested him until the school was forced to fire him, and that’s the truth. He didn’t sugarcoat anything. Honesty, he might be the greatest broadcaster in history. (Vin Scully is real close)

 

[TeoJ]

Hello every body this is Cawood Ledford coming to you from Memorial Coliseum in downtown Lexington Kentucky.

 

[BlueVelvetFog]

Horse racing calls

 

[thepip]

It hurts knowing young fans will never hear him call games. It was such a big part of my youth.

Do you have any favorite memories of him?

Telling Ralph Hacker to mind his own business

 

[John Henry]

I too have fond memories of Cawood going back to my childhood. Daddy bought a Hallicrafters short wave radio to pull in the games (WHAS 840) about 850 miles away. The radio signal would fade in and out. Castro had a station in Havana that used he same frequency. Every once in a while he would crank it up and point it towards the USA drowning out Cawood. We would move the radio around the room until a faint signal came back. But most games the Cats were ahead and all was well. Thank you Cawood.

 

[rick64]

Cawood was the absolute best. Here’s the ‘92 Duke game with Cawood’s radio call synced.

 

[Ben101er]

Madison,Ind 1977,I bartended at the 307 saloon and eating establishment.He was there as the Grand Marshall of the Regatta parade.

They gave him a really neat Louisville Stoneware pitcher, with the regatta theme, and his name on it, as Grand Marshall. I got it, along with a bunch of really great personal items, from the auction of Cawood's estate, about a month ago.

 

[Tapemaster8]

I remember when LSU came into Rupp undefeated in SEC play. Greg "Cookie Man" Cook when asked about trying to beat UK at Rupp, he said, "Kentucky ain't nothing but a name"! Cawood was, you could tell really teed off about it. I have that game on DVD with Cawood's call on it. Of course we beat them and stopped that undefeated season. I think it was the final SEC game for both teams. They won the regular season Championship but didn't get that undefeated season that "Cookie Man" that was going to be a sure thing!

 

[TeoJ]

They gave him a really neat Louisville Stoneware pitcher, with the regatta theme, and his name on it, as Grand Marshall. I got it, along with a bunch of really great personal items, from the auction of Cawood's estate, about a month ago.

That's very nice would love to see it.He asked me about all the Hoosier fans,I told him their were a lot of UK fans in town.

 

[TeoJ]

Horse racing calls

Their making the turn for home now their coming to me.

 

[Ben101er]

That's very nice would love to see it.He asked me about all the Hoosier fans,I told him their were a lot of UK fans in town.

This says 1978. Has depiction of the race boats, parade, hot air balloon, and on one side it says "Grand Marshall" with "Cawood Ledford" beneath it. On the other side, it says "Madison Regatta Parade 1978" If you want to send me your email, in a PM, I'll take some pics and send them to you. I got a lot of personalized horse racing books, two tables, and a really nice wooden chair. His big coffee cup that was not Louisville Stoneware, but Hadley, that says Cawood in great big letters on the outside, and Good Morning on the inside. I got my wife two really nice inlaid rosewood jewelry boxes that belonged to Frances, along with some horse racing memorabilia like Ky Derby books, horse racing ash trays, and some great coasters. One set of brass coasters was from the first Breeder's Cup. I got the horse racing themed clock that sat on his desk, and a brand new set of Bavarian China. There was some Louisville Stoneware mugs that were given to him, for his part in the WHAS Crusade for Children. I just got a bunch of neat things that I will pass on to my kids. From what I could see, he had more horse racing items than anything else. Lots of horse and racing framed prints.

 

[bbnkat02]

Ugh. I’ll admit it. I was 9 years old and I cried Not only did we lose to Duke in a most painful way, but I loved Cawood’s soothing voice; he was leaving us and I heavily blamed Duke and Laetner. (Even though it wasn’t primarily their fault it sure felt like it to a kid.) He was what I grew up with first in UK basketball and it was like losing a family member.

 

[Bluesbrother]

I miss him too but have to say I think Leach does a great job.

Can't say I agree with Leach doing a "great" job. So many times when listening to Leach, he rambles and won't even mention the score. Cawood's call of the game was like a verbal "visual" never leaving you unaware of every point scored. Cawood always called it like it was, calling out UK players and holding them accountable and lifting them up when deserved. Cawood personified professionalism and we were so lucky to have him. In Leach's defense, no one could ever rise to Cawood standard of excellence but it's a shame Leach didn't learn some of Cawood's finer points that made him a legend. I too miss him but at the same time so grateful he was one of our own.

 

[UKCAT5FAN]

I miss everything about Cawood. I have a couple of tapes of games off the radio in the late 60s before he had an analyst...he only had Jack Cook come in at halftime to give the stats and interview somebody while Cawood went out to have a couple of cigarettes. He was, at his best when he was doing the games solo.

What I really miss as much or more than Cawood is that so many of today's fans never saw a game at Memorial Coliseum when it was home of the Wildcats and before Rupp Arena existed. People complain about the lack of noise at Rupp, the perceived lack of homecourt advantage of Rupp. Memorial Coliseum was louder and more of a homecourt advantage. Best basketball venue ever.

Rupp is definitely a home court advantage, when it needs to be. If that makes sense anyway.

 

[FtWorthCat]

Those were different times. Cawood's style would generally be boring to younger folks today. Everything today in terms of radio play-by-play is faux excitement and hyperbole. Cawood's calm, understated call would not be considered "exciting" enough. But I agree with the OP, I miss getting to listen to him call a game.

 

[Randy Bob]

No one can ever replace Cawood..

 

[musrat59]

The man was my eyes and ears for many years. I enjoyed him saying "write it down".

 

[IHATEUAVEL]

They gave him a really neat Louisville Stoneware pitcher, with the regatta theme, and his name on it, as Grand Marshall. I got it, along with a bunch of really great personal items, from the auction of Cawood's estate, about a month ago.

When I was Student Manager Cawood rode
In the first left hand seat on the bus Adolph rode in the right Cawood would smoke a Camel cigarette and study the opponent’s roster til Coach Rupp got on then crushed
That Camel quickly Rupp didn’t allow smoking in his presence

 

[Ben101er]

When I was Student Manager Cawood rode
In the first left hand seat on the bus Adolph rode in the right Cawood would smoke a Camel cigarette and study the opponent’s roster til Coach Rupp got on then crushed
That Camel quickly Rupp didn’t allow smoking in his presence

Yeah, Cawood was a smoker. I got a couple of cool horse racing ashtrays in the estate sale.

 

[Ben101er]

Ugh. I’ll admit it. I was 9 years old and I cried Not only did we lose to Duke in a most painful way, but I loved Cawood’s soothing voice; he was leaving us and I heavily blamed Duke and Laetner. (Even though it wasn’t primarily their fault it sure felt like it to a kid.) He was what I grew up with first in UK basketball and it was like losing a family member.

Cawood had previously announced that he was retiring at the end of that year. All the schools in the SEC gave him something, in honor of his retirement.

 

[Johnfarrel]

Those were different times. Cawood's style would generally be boring to younger folks today. Everything today in terms of radio play-by-play is faux excitement and hyperbole. Cawood's calm, understated call would not be considered "exciting" enough. But I agree with the OP, I miss getting to listen to him call a game.

Not sure I agree. a classic song, a classic book, a classic movie transcends time, attitudes, and the trends of the day. Caywood was a classic and I believe a large segment of any age group at any time would be attracted to his style. As others have said, his ability to make you "see" the game over the radio was unique.

 

[kevcat]

Horse racing calls

“It danced around a bit,but it finally fell,

Horse racing calls

Honestly, he was unrivaled at calling Horse Racing.

(Tom Durkin was also really good)

 

[irishcat1965]

Cawood was the eyes and ears of millions of Kentucky fans for games before television carried every UK game. And he did a damn good job of doing it.

 

[TeoJ]

This says 1978. Has depiction of the race boats, parade, hot air balloon, and on one side it says "Grand Marshall" with "Cawood Ledford" beneath it. On the other side, it says "Madison Regatta Parade 1978" If you want to send me your email, in a PM, I'll take some pics and send them to you. I got a lot of personalized horse racing books, two tables, and a really nice wooden chair. His big coffee cup that was not Louisville Stoneware, but Hadley, that says Cawood in great big letters on the outside, and Good Morning on the inside. I got my wife two really nice inlaid rosewood jewelry boxes that belonged to Frances, along with some horse racing memorabilia like Ky Derby books, horse racing ash trays, and some great coasters. One set of brass coasters was from the first Breeder's Cup. I got the horse racing themed clock that sat on his desk, and a brand new set of Bavarian China. There was some Louisville Stoneware mugs that were given to him, for his part in the WHAS Crusade for Children. I just got a bunch of neat things that I will pass on to my kids. From what I could see, he had more horse racing items than anything else. Lots of horse and racing framed prints.

When I can I sure will.

 

[willyclyde]

“Leach is better than Cawood. This is my opinion.”

-smoothie king. Or ulismyman, one.

 

[serdi]

Hello every body this is Cawood Ledford coming to you from Memorial Coliseum in downtown Lexington Kentucky.

I know you meant, Hello everybody, this is Cawood Ledford coming to you from Memorial Coliseum on the campus of University of Kentucky in Lexington.

 

[serdi]

Rupp is definitely a home court advantage, when it needs to be. If that makes sense anyway.

I hear ya. Memorial Coliseum was a home court advantage EVERY game. As Jerry Hale said recently in an interview with Oscar Combs...when you ran out of that tunnel the entire building shook. I remember those sitting down by the tunnel...you would hear people shouting, "here they come"...then the entire building was on there feet, and like Jerry said, the entire building shook. There was nothing like Memorial Coliseum.

 

[bbnkat02]

Cawood had previously announced that he was retiring at the end of that year. All the schools in the SEC gave him something, in honor of his retirement.

I know. But to a kid it just seemed like Duke made him leave. Besides have me all the more reason to dislike the dodos of Durham. As if any of us actually need more of a reason.