Aug. 20, 1999
UK Hosts Kickoff Luncheon: The annual UK Football KickoffLuncheon was held Friday, with approximately 600 fans packed into thePatterson Ballroom in the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Lexington.
Coach Hal Mumme was the featured speaker. Mumme gave the fans ageneral outlook on this year’s Wildcats and also someposition-by-position comments.
“We have a hard-working, young football team,” said the coach,citing the fact that the vast majority of the team is in the freshman orsophomore classes. “What we do this year will set the tone forchampionship contention in the future.”
Mumme also sought to alleviate concerns over the team’sinexperienced offensive line, which features no returning starters.
“Coach Morriss (offensive line coach Guy Morriss) said thatafter two or three games that this could be the best offensive linewe’ve had,” Mumme said.
A 1998 highlight video was shown during the luncheon. UKPresident Dr. Charles Wethington gave brief remarks. Larry Ivy, UKAssociate Director of Athletics, presented UK Athletics Director C. M.Newton with a plaque in honor of Newton being named the Southeast RegionAthletics Director of the Year by the National Association of CollegiateDirectors of Athletics.
During his portion of the program, Newton introduced five formerWildcats lettermen, recognized the contributions to UK Athletics made byJim Host of Host Communications, and also introduced several people fromthe construction and managerial team that has overseen the expansion ofCommonwealth Stadium.
The luncheon was dedicated to the memory of Frank Ham, SpecialAssistant to the Director of Athletics, who died on August 1, 1999. Amoment of silence was held for Ham, who, for many years, handledpreparations for the UK Kickoff Luncheon.
Newton also announced the creation of the Frank G. Ham Award ofCharacter, which will be given each year to a student-athlete member ofthe UK Athletics Society of Character. For more details on this award,see below.
Award of Character Named for Frank Ham: UK Director of AthleticsC. M. Newton announced the creation of the Frank G. Ham Award ofCharacter on Friday at the annual UK Football Luncheon.
Beginning in 2000, the award will be given annually to a UKstudent-athlete who is a member of the Society of Character. TheSociety of Character was created by the UK Athletics Association in thespring of 1999 in order to recognize student-athletes who have beenexemplary in scholarship and service. Ten student-athletes wereinducted in the society last spring.
The award is named for Ham, Special Assistant to the Director ofAthletics, who died on Aug. 1, 1999. Ham had been involved with UKAthletics since 1968 and was Assistant Athletics Director from 1975-86.He came out of retirement several years ago in order to serve as aspecial assistant to Newton.
“Frank commanded respect, not only through his position inathletics and his excellence as a coach and administrator, but more so,through something far greater – his character,” Newton said. “Peopleknew that Frank was trustworthy, responsible, fair, and caring. Hetruly cared about other people and in return, people cared very much forFrank.
“It is with this in mind that we are proud to announce todaythat we are creating the Frank G. Ham Award of Character in his honor.”
Snedegar on Butkus Award Watch List: Senior linebacker JeffSnedegar is one of 65 players on the preseason watch list for the DickButkus Award, which is given to the nation’s top linebacker by theDowntown Athletic Club of Orlando, Fla.
The list will be trimmed to 10 semifinalists on Oct. 21. Thethree finalists will be announced on Nov. 11 and the winner will beintroduced on Dec. 10 during the 15th annual Butkus Award Gala inOrlando.
Jefferson-Pilot Sports SEC Preview on the Air: The annual SECfootball preview produced by Jefferson-Pilot Sports can be seen in thefollowing markets:
Bowling Green WBKO Sat. Aug. 28 1:30 p.m. CDT Charleston, W.V. WSAZ Sat. Aug. 28 Noon EDT Evansville, Ind. WTVW Fri. Sept. 3 11:30 p.m. CDT Hazard WYMT Fri. Aug. 20 8:30 p.m. EDT Lexington WKYT Fri. Aug. 20 8:30 p.m. EDT Louisville WAVE Sat. Aug. 28 11 a.m. EDT Paducah KFVS Sun. Aug. 29 11:30 a.m. EDT
Kentucky Football Calendar:
Fri. Aug. 20 Practice at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., Nutter Training Center, 8:30 p.m. at Commonwealth Stadium Kickoff Luncheon at Hyatt Regency Hotel, 11:45 a.m. Sat. Aug. 21 Practice at 2 p.m., Nutter Training Center Sun. Aug. 22 No practice Mon. Aug. 23 Practice at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., Nutter Training Center Tue. Aug. 24 Practice at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., Nutter Training Center Wed. Aug. 25 Classes begin, practice at 2 p.m., Nutter Training Center Sat. Sept. 4 Louisville at Kentucky, 3:30 p.m. EDT
