Oct. 15, 1999

LEXINGTON, Ky. – This is the first opportunity for the public to catch the Wildcats in action for the 1999-2000 season. A capacity crowd of 9,000 fans will pack Memorial Coliseum as Coach Tubby Smith begins his third season as the Wildcats’ coach. Smith is 63-13 (82.9%) in his two seasons, winning one NCAA Championship, two SEC Tournament titles and one SEC regular-season crown.

The night begins at 11 p.m. with a variety of entertainment, including contests and the introductions of the women’s basketball team. Tickets to the event were distributed on Saturday, Oct. 9, and all 7,000 public seats were claimed in 27 minutes.

“America’s Team of the Century” is the theme for this year’s Madness as well as the theme for the 2000 Wildcats. The evening will begin with the introductions of four former basketball Wildcats Ralph Beard, Wallace “Wah Wah” Jones, Bill Evans and Adrian Smith all were gold medal winners who helped shape UK’s basketball fortunes. The four, along with Mark Hamilton (kayaker last three Olympics), were honored this morning at Sunrise Madness, a fundraiser for the U.S. Olympic Team.

America’s Team of the Century
The Kentucky Wildcats’ make the claim to be “America’s Team of the Century.” UK’s unparalleled tradition, which began in 1903, spans 96 previous seasons. The first national championship was an NIT title in 1946. It’s first NCAA Championship followed in 1948 and it’s seventh NCAA crown occurred 50 years later in 1998. Highlights of UK’s glorious past includes:

• Seven national titles (1948, ’49, ’51, ’58, ’78, ’96, ’98)
• The all-time winningest team in college basketball

                 1. Kentucky          1,748                       2. North Carolina    1,733                 3. Kansas            1,688

• The highest all-time winning percentage of any team in college basketball — 76.4% (1,748-538-1)
• Three NCAA runner-up trophies
• 13 Final Four appearances
• A national-record 40 NCAA tournament appearances
• 39 Southeastern Conference Championships
• 22 SEC Tournament titles
• Ten 30-win seasons, the most in college basketball
• 37 players chosen All-American 54 times
• 86 Wildcats selected in the NBA Draft

Practice Begins Saturday
Saturday, Oct. 16, is the first day Division I college basketball teams can begin practice. Several years ago, the NCAA moved the first day of practice to the Saturday closest to Oct. 15.

The Wildcats have worked since school began Aug. 25 on strength and conditioning as well as individual instruction.

The Birth of Midnight Madness
Former UK coach Joe B. Hall started Midnight Madness at the University of Kentucky in 1982. According to Hall, he was looking for an idea to create more excitement for his 1982-83 squad. So they invited the fans in for team introductions and a scrimmage at 12:01 a.m. on October 15, 1982. Madness has now grown at a tremendous pace while also spreading to college and high school programs across the nation. Lefty Driesell, currently the coach at James Madison, is credited with conducting the first Midnight Madness when he was the head man at Maryland in 1971.

Midnight Madness Highlights
When Midnight Madness started in 1982, it was called “Midnight Special.” More than 8,500 fans attended that first event in 12,000-seat Memorial Coliseum. Admission was somewhat easier then — those still arriving near the stroke of 12 a.m. had no problem getting a seat. But the seed of growth had been planted.

1983 — More than 10,000 supporters arrived to watch a highly rated Kentucky team led by Sam Bowie, Melvin Turpin and Kenny Walker. That team went on to a Final Four finish.
1984 — Introductions were in order as a new troop of fresh-faced Wildcats took the floor after the graduations of Bowie, Turpin, Dickey Beal, Tom Heitz and Jim Master.
1985 — The Coliseum was rocking as first-year coach Eddie Sutton ushered in a new era.
1986 — By the time the band started pounding out the fight song at 11:30 p.m., the fire marshal had already ordered the doors closed at 9:50 p.m., leaving hundreds of fans outside. Inside, more than 12,500 fans caught the first glimpse of super-frosh Rex Chapman and the Wildcats.
1989 — Rick Pitino was introduced for the first time to a capacity crowd of more than 8,700 (the Coliseum capacity dropped from 11,500 because of renovation). Fans were caught trying to sneak in the windows and any opening they could find.
1990 — Lines began forming at 8:30 a.m. as nearly 10,000 fans helped Kentucky celebrate a “Big Blue New Year.”
1991 — Fans lined up 36 hours in advance as the Cats were “Back in the Spotlight,” eligible for postseason play for the first time in the Pitino era. Doors were closed 45 minutes after they opened, the earliest ever. All four recruits who attended Madness that year — Rodrick Rhodes, Jared Prickett, Tony Delk and Walter McCarty — verbally committed to Kentucky the next week.

1992 — “Big Boo Madness – A Monster Bash” fell on Halloween night since the NCAA had moved the start of practice back to Nov. 1. Once again doors closed only 45 minutes after they opened, as a capacity crowd watched Jamal Mashburn and company usher in the new season.
1993 — The first fans arrived on Wednesday — three days early — and at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 29, the Cats were “Rockin’ after Midnight” as a popular senior foursome — Travis Ford, Rodney Dent, Jeff Brassow and Gimel Martinez — led the 1993-94 team into action.

1994 — The father and son combination of Robert and Ronald Vallandingham of Smithland, Ky., formerly of New Albany, Ind., arrived on Oct. 10 — a full five days early. Coach Pitino was the headline attraction. Playing to the theme “Born To Be Wild,” Pitino arrived in the gym dressed in leather driving a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

1995 — Wally Clark of Lexington was determined to be “first in line” and arrived 17 days early. The preseason No. 1 team in the nation was introduced with the premier of “Cat Fan Forever.” Seniors Walter McCarty and Tony Delk swooped down on ropes from high above dressed as “Cat”man and Robin.

1996 — Clark parked himself by the front door on Sept. 10, a full 38 days prior to Big Blue Madness. In the pre-Madness celebration, the “Back to Tradition” theme honored the championship teams, including the defending national champions, as well as the former stars.

1997 — Tickets were passed out five days early a Monday morning and were gone within the first 75 minutes. It was the official introduction of Coach Tubby Smith to the Wildcat faithful, as he made his appearance high above the floor in the second deck.

1998 — The Wildcats, playing to the theme, “The Main Event,” were dressed in their favorite professional wrestling outfits and introduced down through the UK crowd. Later, they celebrated their NCAA Championship from the previous season by unveiling a new championship banner on the Coliseum’s “Wall of Champions.”

1999 — The tickets were again distributed a week early and vanished in 27 minutes for “America’s Team of the Century.”