MANY CAUSES TO CELEBRATE
Members of UK Athletics Board lighting candles for the 1,000 victory cake are, from left, Dr. W. L. Matthews, Dr. Thomas Brower, Former Gov. A. B. Chandler, Prof. David Blythe, Dr. J. L. Massie, Wally Bryan, Dr. Stephen Diachun, Dr. W. C. Royster and, in background, Dr. A. D. Kirwan, Dr. Lyman Ginger and Clay Maupin.
Memorial Coliseum has been the scene of many great celebrations, but none carried more nationwide significance that a gigantic cake-cutting ceremony held after the University of Kentucky defeated Florida, 88-67, on the night of Jan. 1 1, 1969.
At that point in time, the University was feting the Wildcats for becoming the first collegiate basketball team to reach the magic 1,000-victory mark.
According to UK count, that exalted plateau had been reached in the previous game, a 91-72 Wildcat victory over Mississippi State at Starkville. A small cake was cut in the team motel after that victory, but the big fireworks were scheduled at Lexington.
Guests of honor at the celebration in the Coliseum were former UK players representing teams from each century victory milestone. Some unexpected fireworks developed when the guests lighted the candles and 1,000 flames started to melt the cake. The Wildcat players rushed from the bench en masse to blow out the flames.
In the eyes of the NCAA, the celebration was a little premature. That august body had sent the Wildcats to the International Universities Tournament in Tel Aviv in 1966, but it refused to recognize the five victories UK recorded there. However, it did accept four previously unreported gamestwo victories and
C-18