Back Thru The Wildcat Years
Six Years Ago
i^h looks like it's finally going to happenthe 'Cats versus the Cards.
The University of Kentucky Athletics Association Board of Directors voted to start negotiating with Louisville for a basketball game. The resolution adopted by the board, even though athletics director Cliff Hagan and head coach Joe B. Hall were openly against an in-state series, calls for Hagan and Hall to initiate talks with U of L in hopes of a matchup on the hardwood between the two Bluegrass institutions.
Last season the two teams met for the first time in 24 years. Louisville handed Kentucky a 80-68 overtime loss in the Mideast Regionals in, of all places, Knoxville, Tenn.
^UK head basketball coach Joe B. Hall was given a five-year contract that covers until July 1, 1988. Terms of the contract were not
discussed.
Keith Madison's Bat Cats split a double-header with the Florida Gators at the Shive-ly Sports Center on the UK campus.
The visiting Gators captured the first game 11-4. Florida jumped out to a 7-0 advantage and scored four more times in the final frame for an easy win.
In the second game, which the Bat Cats won 5-0, UK's Jay Ray hurled an outstanding game in which he allowed only eight hits, struck out five and walked only one. Kentucky scored four runs in the fourth aided by Florida miscues and a two-run double by Scott Knox.
^Kentucky sophomore Kevin Gothard delivered a grand slam in the bottom of the 14th inning to give the Wildcats a 7-3 win over visiting New York Tech. The victory improved the Bat Cats' mark to 20-7 for the season.
WILDCAT QUIZ
Kentucky football	
1. Who's the 'Cat known around UK	6. Which of the following Wildcats
circles as "Mr. Big Play?"	transferred to UK after playing at Nor-
a) Ken Willis	theastern Oklahoma A&M?
b) Alfred Rawls	a) Alfred Rawls
c) Tony Massey	b) Alfred Jones
d) Chris Tolbert	c) All of the above
	d) None of the above
2. Who led Kentucky in overall rushing	
yards in 1988?	7. True or False? Kentucky does not
a) Al Baker	have a letterman returning at the punter
b) Alfred Rawls	position.
c) Ivy Joe Hunter	
d) Andy Murray	8. Of the four nonconference opponents
	on Kentucky's schedule next season,
3. Who was named to last year's Foot-	which one owns better than a .500 mark
ball News All-America team?	against UK?
a) Jerry Bell	a) Indiana
b) Joey Couch	b) Cincinnati
c) Greg Lahr	c) North Carolina
d) Both a and c	d) Rutgers
4. Our mystery player in this quiz is	9. Of UK's nonconference foes, how
highly praised by Jerry Claiborne. "I've	many turned in losing marks in 1988?
never been around a player that works	a) None
any harder in preparing to try to win,"	b) One
says Claiborne. Who is the UK head	c) Two
coach talking about?	d) Three
a) Oliver Barnett	
b) Mike Pfeifer	10. Percentage-wise, which team on
c) Tony Massey	Kentucky's upcoming schedule fielded
d) Randy Holleran	the best record in 1988?
	a) Alabama
5. True or False? Andy Murray has	b) Auburn
rushed for more than 400 yards in his	c) Indiana
UK career.	d) LSU
Answers
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Mike Phillips
p^Big Ten opponent Indiana broke a 17-game nonconference winning streak by beating homestanding Kentucky, 3-1. Paul Kilgus took the loss even though he did not give up an earned run in eight innings of work.
Eight Years Ago
^Earlier this month Bat Cat relief ace Jeff Keener came out of the bullpen to register wins in both games of a double-header against Florida, thus enabling UK to gain ground in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference.
The Gators did come back to win the series finale.
In the initial game of the three-game set, Jim Leopold's grand slam homer sparked Kentucky to an 8-4 win. Keener allowed no hits and fanned five in two and two-third innings.
In the nightcap, Mike Botkin led off the final frame with a contest-winning round-tripper. It was his second homer of the game. Greg Ryle added a solo shot for Kentucky. Keener pitched the final inning to complete his nifty accomplishment, allowing just one hit in the second game.
Ten Years Ago
Wn their biggest two wins of the year, the Kentucky Wildcats silenced Eastern Division leading Florida with a 6-1, 3-2 sweep at the Shively Sports Center.
Lefty Tim Brandenburg hurled a five-hitter in the opener and Mark Hredzak connected on a two-run homer.
In the second game, Joe Georger tossed an eight-hitter and Randy Gipson knocked in all three runs with a home run and a single.
In a single game the following day, Florida defeated UK 12-10, after losing control of an early lead. The Gators outscored UK 5-3 after once trailing 8-7.
During the week, the Bat Cats swept the Indiana Hoosiers 2-1, 3-2 in Bloomington. Georger pitched a one-hitter in the first game and Tim Terry and Brandenburg combined for a three-hitter in the nightcap.
is Earlier this month...on the first day he could sign a prepster to a national letter of intent, Joe Hall inked seven-footer Sam Bowie along with Derrick Hord of Tennessee, Shelby County's Charles Hurt and Lexington Lafayette's Dirk Minniefield. A fifth signee, forward-center Tom Heitz, is expected to sign when he returns from a trip in Germany.
Larry Johnson
Twelve Years Ago
(^Senior guard Larry Johnson was the big winner at the annual awards banquet for the University of Kentucky basketball squad.
Johnson was awarded the 110 percent honor as well as the team's Outstanding Defensive Player. Outstanding Senior, Most Assists. Senior Appreciation and UP! Player of the Year in Kentucky awards.
Jack "Goose" Givens was selected the team's Most Valuable Player and also received the Joe B. Hall award for best free throw shooter. Givens, a senior-to-be, led the Wildcats in scoring with a 18.8 points per game average.
Other award winners include: forward Rick Robey, A.B. Chandler Trophy; Merion Haskins. K-Men's Scholastic Award; and Tim Stephens, Freshman Leadership award.
More than 1,000 people attended the banquet which also was highlighted by a vote of confidence for Hall from Kentucky president Otis Singletary. Recent rumors had Hall's job in question, but Singletary gave the head coach a strong vote of confidence.
UK finished the 1976-77 season with a 26-4 record, losing only to Utah (70-68 in the UKIT finals), Tennessee (twice, 71-67 in OT and 81-79) and North Carolina (79-72 in the East Regional finals).
Besides Givens, three others finished the season averaging 10 points or more per outing. Those three were: Rick Robey (14.2 ppg.), Mike Phillips (12.2 ppg.) and Johnson (10.7 ppg.). Of the four double-digit performers, only Johnson is a senior.
With its abundance of veterans, UK figures to have one of the country's top basketball teams in 1977-78.
(^University of Kentucky football coach Fran Curci has added the finishing touches to his sideline staff for the upcoming year. After coming off a 21-0 Peach Bowl win over North Carolina, the 'Cats have added Jim Nablack as a line coach.
Nablack was a freshman coach at Florida last season.
Nablack replaces Jon Mirilovich, who left for North Carolina State. Prior to naming Nablack to the UK staff, Curci also welcomes newcomers Bill Glaser, Larry Kirksey and George Catavolos. Those announcements were made earlier.
Strange as it may sound, Kentucky opens its '77 season against the UNC Tar Heels at Commonwealth Stadium.