Sept. 12, 2001

Selected emails

Name: Keith Golden
City: Webberville, MI
To The Ledford Family,

Cawood Ledford will always hold a special place in my heart!Living most of my life in KY, I grew up watching UK basketballon the TV but listening to Cawood doing the play by play. Noone did it like he did. I lost my grandmother earlier this yearso, I know the pain that comes with losing someone so near anddear to your heart! But I also know the joy of remembering thejoy remembering brings to take the sorrow away! They alwaysremain in your heart and mind! My heart goes out to the Ledfordfamily! May God bless you and keep you in His love!

Sincerely,

Keith Golden

Name: Donald, Dean III, F
City: Midway
To the Dear Family of Mr. Cawood Ledford,
I don’t know much about Mr. Ledford other than what I’ve read since his passing on. Of course I know his voice quite well. Perhaps you don’t realize how much a part of your life people are until, as they say, they are gone. He’s just always been there as part of mine. Turn down the TV and turn on Cawood. That’s how it was. In particular I have the fondest memories of his voice on the radio as I would come back into town from other locations and just meant that I was home.
In hindsight, it seems that Cawood shaped the world. And who is anyone without their friends and family? I wish those that mourn personally and intimately for the loss of his personal presence in their life strength and comfort.

Name: Connie Hooker
City: Manchester, Ky
While I was growing up, just a little girl, dad and I would always listen to the Wildcats broadcast given by Cawood. We would watch the Wildcats play on TV (with the volume turned down) and listen to him on the radio. This was always the rules for gameday at our house.
When I got married I introduced my husband to the ways and When our two sons were old enough and became Wildcat fans, my husband and I taught them the same tradition that I had grown up with. They too loved Cawood Ledford. We were lost when he retired and the games weren’t the same for a while but then we began to love Ralph Hacker also.We are truly gonna miss CAWOOD. He gave us many days of pleasure listening to his voice on the radio. When those CATS would score there was such excitement screamed through that radio. He gave a feeling that you were also at the game right along beside the team.

He will long live in our memories and in our hearts.
Our deepest sympthany goes out to his family and friends.

Name: Kenneth , Taylor, E.
City: Elberton, GA
I was born and raised until 7 yrs. old in Owensboro. My family moved to GA and my Dad and I listened to UK games on the radio. I can still hear Cawood’s voice, and I am so happy I grew up listening to his call of the game. He will surely be missed by all, however I have been missing him for quite a few years already! My sincere sympathy to his family. He will be missed by all Big Blue fans.

Name: Lee, Martin, C
City: Mayfield, Ky.
Thank you Ms. Ledford for letting Cawood go to Starksville, Oxford, and other SEC stops year after year to bring us UK athletics. I talked to Cawood one time on the radio call in show and he treated me with respect. That is the way he treated everyone. UK is not my religion but I bleed blue and Cawood reminded us that it was just a game.

Name: Kenneth J. Niemann III
City: El Paso, TX
I will always remember fondly,the hours spent with my fatherlistening to UK basketball onthe radio. Listening intentlyas I maintained my own personalstat sheet. The voice of Cawoodand time spent with my fatherwill always be synonymous.

Thank you Cawood. Although Inever had the pleasure ofmeeting you, I consider youfamily. The state of Kentuckyhas always been proud of you.Now we all grieve for our loss,and the loss to your family.

Heaven is now a better place.Rest in peace Cawood. We willmiss you.

Name: Ronnie K. Meyers
City: Falmouth Kentucky
My condolences to the family of Cawood Ledford. He was one of a kind. His familiar voice was to me like a letter from home when I heard an Armed Forces radio broadcast while I was in Viet Nam. He will be greatly missed by his many fans across the nation. Many thanks for memories of games that I never saw in person, yet I saw as much as those present through the description of the game by Cawood.

Name: Jerry Arrasmith
City: Atlanta, GA
As a 1974 graduate of UK that has not lived in the Commonwealth since 1977, Cawood’s voice was for years my only connection to home. Every time I heard his voice I was transported back to my years at college and before. I remember yelling “Hey Cawood” from the student section nearly 30 years ago. He will be missed. He was much beloved.

Name: Georges S. Hamouche (M.S.C.E. 1985)
City: Beirut, Lebanon
Condolences to the family and to UK, Cawood was the voice that added salt and pepper to our stay at UK while we were away from our country Lebanon in the 1980’s. I still keep his voice recorded on tapes, and this tremendously descriptive style of his gave us a clear broadcasting of an image that we saw so clearly while he used to transfer it to our imagination during the games that we couldn’t attend. Indeed he is unique and he will be always remembered as a legendary sportscaster. Goodbye Cawood !!! We will miss you.

Name: Rusty Peace
City: Harrogate, Tennessee
To the family of Cawood Ledford,

My deepest condolences go out to the friends and family of Cawood Ledford. As a child growing up in southeast Kentucky in the early 70’s, I became a Kentucky fan with the voice of Cawood Ledford as my eyes at the game. His play-by-play coverage of the Wildcats both on the field and on the court not only earned my respect but also helped me develop a true love for the blue and white that I believe only resident fans of the state of Kentucky can understand. As a college student I got involved with radio and television and pursued the area of sports broadcasting with hope of someday taking over the reins for Cawood. I soon realized that one doesn’t replace a legend such as Cawood, it’s just not that easy. His call of the cats while they were in battle made you FEEL what was going on. Through only his voice he allowed you to see what couldn’t be seen. You felt as though you were there and part of the team. I have now been play-by-play announcer for a small college in Tennessee since the late 80’s and I can only hope I describe to the fans that listen to our broadcasts the action a tenth as well as Cawood did. He set the standard for all who work in our business. He touched my life, as he has touched many throughout not only the state of Kentucky, but throughout the country as well. While he may be gone in the physical sense, his memory and spirit will forever live as part of what has become my idea of the Kentucky tradition. There used to be a banner that said something to the effect, “if you live a good life and say your prayers, when you die you’ll go to Kentucky.” Cawood will always be here and will never be forgotten. Thanks for the memories Cawood.

Michael R. Peace
Play-by-Play/Sports Information Director
Lincoln Memorial University