UK SPIRIT
1985-86 UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY WILDCAT CHEERLEADERS
Crowds at Rupp Arena will once again be led by the award-winning and nationally-known University of Kentucky cheerleaders.
The UK Cheerleaders were named 1984-85 National Champions at the Ford College Cheerleading Championships last winter in Hawaii. The competition, seen nationally on NBC-TV and later on ESPN, was sponsored by the Universal Cheerleaders Association.
According to T. Lynn Williamson, cheerleader advisor. Wildcat fans can expect another good year from the UK squad.
"We have a lot of people coming back and we did well at our summer camp," said Williamson, who is now in his eighth season as advisor. "Our squad has won first place in the Southern Region two straight years, plus we won the national title last year, as well as runner-up in 1982, so we know we have quite a reputation to live up to."
Barry Applegate Greenup. Ky.
Jeff Baker
Mt. Sterling. Ky.
Dale Baldwin Leitchfield, Ky.
Lori Duley Ashland, Ky.
Dawn Duncan Lexington, Ky.
Karen Fister Lexington. Ky.
Lori Gooch Ft. Mitchell. Ky.
Kym Hand Knoxville, Tenn.
Scott Hendrickson Pineville, Ky.
Jeff Mortimer Lexington, Ky.
Eric Stewart (Wildcat) Williamsville, N.Y.
Karen Vaught Lexington, Ky.
Willis Watts Columbia, Ky.
Scott Carmer (mike man) Weston. Neb.
Kim Hall (alt.) Glasgow, Ky.
Bill Ahern (alt.) Versailles, Ky.
ORIGIN OF BLUE AND WHITE SCHOOL COLORS
Kentucky's famous Blue and White colors have adorned Wildcat teams since around the turn of the century.
Prior to a football game against Centre in 1891, State College students (UK was then called State College) held an ardent meeting for the purpose of choosing permanent college colors and a college yell. They decided on blue and light yellow, blue because it was typical of the bluegrass and light yellow because it represented the richness of the land. Also adopted at that meeting was the following yell, chosen because of its brevity:
"Rah! Rush! Ree! A! Ml CH!"
Neither the colors nor the yell stayed around very long. In a letter to Professor Gillis, R.C. Stoll, a member of the 1891-95 State College teams, recalled:
"We had some other colors  I really don't recall what they were. But we had a meeting in the chapel in 1892, my recollection is, to discuss the colors of the university.
"After we decided on the now familiar blue and white, someone asked, 'What color blue will it be?'
"I happened to have on a blue necktie and took it off and held it up. That was the blue which was adopted."
After the turn of the century. State teams would be referred to often as the "Blue and White," with those colors being officially adopted in 1910.
The official blue has ranged from a navy blue in the earlier days to the now-familiar "Kentucky Blue," or royal blue.
WILDCAT MASCOTS HAD COLORFUL NAMES
Over the years, Kentucky athletic teams have been spurred on in efforts toward victory by numerous colorfully-named wildcat mascots. Records indicate the first animal was given to the University in 1921. Named "Tom," this live Kentucky wildcat died quickly from being in captivity and was replaced with "TNT." Other live mascots followed  including "Whiskers," "Hot Tamale," and "Colonel"  only to pass from the scene due to death or being turned loose in the mountains after they did not thrive out of their native habitat.
ORIGIN OF "WILDCATS" NICKNAME
Kentucky's athletic teams are known to sports fans as the Wildcats. This first and only nickname borne by University varsities had its origin in 1909 in a speech made by Commandant Corbusier, then head of the military department of old State College. Speaking to a chapel audience of students on the showing of the Kentucky football team in defeating Illinois six to two, the Commandant declared "they fought like wildcats." The tag was popularized by word of mouth and by the press with the result that has since become synonymous with all major Kentucky athletic teams.
138