As the videotape rolls through the history of the Kentucky basketball program, the highlights are countless.
Eight national championships. Numerous Southeastern Conference titles. Last-second shots. The trophies. The net cutting. Victory upon victory. The pictures and images continue to roll.
Year after year, the Wildcats have defended national championships and produced a host of All-Americans. The UK program also has stocked the NBA with top young talent.
But the ultimate honor for a Wildcat player or coach is to have his jersey retired. Through the years, 44 former players, coaches and contributors have received this recognition.
According to former UK sports information director Russell Rice, the first jersey retired was Layton “Mickey” Rouse, an All-SEC guard who captained the 1940 UK squad. At the annual banquet following the season, Coach Adolph Rupp surprised Rouse when he presented him his entire uniform.
Following the 1949 season, Rupp honored the four seniors from the back-to-back national championship teams — Cliff Barker, Ralph Beard, Alex Groza and Wallace “Wah, Wah” Jones, along with 1948 team captain Kenny Rollins — by retiring their jerseys and stating that their numbers would never be worn again by a Kentucky player. It was then that they were tagged “the Fabulous Five” after Rupp made mention there would never be another team that “fabulous.”
However, with the streamlining of jersey numbers by the NCAA, the jerseys are retired but the numbers remain active.
Two contributors have been selected for the basketball program’s highest honor, including the late Cawood Ledford, the radio “Voice of the Wildcats” for 39 years. In 1997, Bill Keightley, the lovable and dedicated equipment manager known as “Mr. Wildcat,” also was selected. And the great coaches have been honored as well — Rupp, Hall and Pitino.
Each selection has been presented with a framed jersey and a banner proudly hung from the Rupp Arena rafters.
And as the film clip continues, there’s sure to be a sequel in the works.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to the University of Kentucky basketball program, the UK Athletics Department has retired jerseys honoring the following:
Basil Hayden (1920-22)
Burgess Carey (1925-26) – 56
Carey Spicer (1929-31)
Adolph Rupp (1931-72) – Head Coach
Forest “Aggie” Sale (1931-33)
John “Frenchy” DeMoisey (1932-34) – 7
Layton “Mickey” Rouse (1938-40) – 4
Kenny Rollins (1943, 47-48) – 26#
Alex Groza (1945, 47-49) – 15#
Ralph Beard (1946-49) – 12#
Wallace Jones (1946-49) – 27#
Cliff Barker (1947-49) – 22#
Bill Spivey (1950-51) – 77
Frank Ramsey (1951-52, 54) – 30*
Cliff Hagan (1951-52, 54) – 6*
Lou Tsioropoulos (1951-52, 54) – 16*
Billy Evans (1952, 54-55) – 42*
Gayle Rose (1952, 54-55) – 20*
Cawood Ledford (1953-92) – Voice of the Wildcats
Jerry Bird (1954-56) – 22*
Phil Grawemeyer (1945-56) – 44*
Bob Burrow (1955-56) – 50
Vernon Hatton (1956-58) – 52
Johnny Cox (1957-59) – 24
Bill Keightley (1962-2008) – Equipment Manager
Cotton Nash (1962-64) – 44
Louie Dampier (1965-67) – 10
Pat Riley (1965-67) – 42
Dan Issel (1968-70) – 44
Joe B. Hall (1973-85) – Head Coach
Kevin Grevey (1973-75) – 35
Jack Givens (1975-78) – 21
Rick Robey (1975-78) – 53
Kyle Macy (1978-80) – 4
Sam Bowie (1980-81, 84) – 31
Kenny Walker (1983-86) – 34
Richie Farmer (1989-92) – 32
Deron Feldhaus (1989-92) – 12
John Pelphrey (1989-92) – 34
Sean Woods (1990-92) – 11
Jamal Mashburn (1991-93) – 24
Rick Pitino (1990-97) – Head Coach
Tony Delk (1993-96) – 00
Orlando “Tubby” Smith (1998-2007) – Head Coach
Alex Groza (1945, 47-49) – 15#
Ralph Beard (1946-49) – 12#
Wallace Jones (1946-49) – 27#
Cliff Barker (1947-49) – 22#
Bill Spivey (1950-51) – 77
Frank Ramsey (1951-52, 54) – 30*
Cliff Hagan (1951-52, 54) – 6*
Lou Tsioropoulos (1951-52, 54) – 16*
Billy Evans (1952, 54-55) – 42*
Gayle Rose (1952, 54-55) – 20*
Cawood Ledford (1953-92) – Voice of the Wildcats
Jerry Bird (1954-56) – 22*
Phil Grawemeyer (1945-56) – 44*
Bob Burrow (1955-56) – 50
Vernon Hatton (1956-58) – 52
Johnny Cox (1957-59) – 24
Bill Keightley (1962-2008) – Equipment Manager
Cotton Nash (1962-64) – 44
Louie Dampier (1965-67) – 10
Pat Riley (1965-67) – 42
Dan Issel (1968-70) – 44
Joe B. Hall (1973-85) – Head Coach
Kevin Grevey (1973-75) – 35
Jack Givens (1975-78) – 21
Rick Robey (1975-78) – 53
Kyle Macy (1978-80) – 4
Sam Bowie (1980-81, 84) – 31
Kenny Walker (1983-86) – 34
Richie Farmer (1989-92) – 32
Deron Feldhaus (1989-92) – 12
John Pelphrey (1989-92) – 34
Sean Woods (1990-92) – 11
Jamal Mashburn (1991-93) – 24
Rick Pitino (1990-97) – Head Coach
Tony Delk (1993-96) – 00
Orlando “Tubby” Smith (1998-2007) – Head Coach
# – Member of “The Fabulous Five,” 1948 national champions and Olympic gold medalists
* – Member of 1954 undefeated national champions
* – Member of 1954 undefeated national champions
