{  
[ the very necessary, dominant linebacker Arena. The distinguished Wildcats hon-
  in Curry’s defensive system. He is Emer- ored were UK all-Americans Basil Hay-
son Wells, a 6-3, 225 lb. linebacker from den and Cotton Nash, and long-time
  Paducah Tilghman High School. radio play-by-play announcer Caywood
1} Some recruiting experts had Wells Ledford. Hayden, who lettered in 1920,
  headed for Colorado or Missouri, but ‘21 and ‘22, was UK’s first All-Ameri-
, Coach Curry said, “We felt like we had can. Nash, a UK letterman in 1962, ‘63
Q a good shot if we just stayed persistent and ‘64, was an All-American three
L without being pushy. We kept staying in times. Ledford is in his 38th season as
i touch and presenting our case.” the popular “Voice of the Wildcats.”
E It also helped that Wells’s mother A number ofother UK basketball let-
, had a favorable inclination toward the termen returned for a “Legends Lun-
1 Kentucky program. cheon", a fund-raiser for the United
The tight end position vacated by States Olympic Committee. UK’s past
, five seniors has help on the way from Olympic basketball players were afford-
.1 Steve Langenkamp from Cincinnati ed special recognition. That evening
1 Moeller High School, Corey Reeves there was an Old-Timer’s Game preced-
( from Corbin and Donte Key from ing the UK- Alabama contest in Rupp
1 Franklin-Simpson High School. Arena (Feb. 26).
The need at wide receiver will be
i` met by high school all-American Leon   V · — _ , ‘**— y y   _·
l Smith from Louisville Trinity High wCI' N¢'I'¢   _ AV'  _ . ~ n    
E School,james Tucker from Arlington,       if  fi  __,,     ,  afi
ll Texas, and Dan Hicks from Lexington Cliff Barker, a member of the Fabulous  if A       is ___  f i 
Tates Creek High School. Five basketball team which was    ·_“f - — f     ' =.  N
Kentucky Mr. Football Damon Hood, Olympic champion in 1948 and NCAA   {  V  . · .
a running back from \/Varren Central champion in 1948 and 1949, is a former L  '    · F,    
High School, did not sign February 6. World War I1 prisoner. That informa-     = 
Thus began the “Damon Watch.” Hood tion comes from Cat’s Pause columnist _; ; _
decided on UK four days later, clearly Russell Rice who reported in the Febru- "Z gi
adding to the assets of this bunch. Four ary 9, 1991, issue that Barker left school ' ,`_  `
signees had not met freshmen eligibili- after his freshman year and became an   C l ' `
ty requirements, but Curry was confi- engineer and a gunner on a B-17   ` _ ( _
dent they would. bomber. He was shot down and spent ' `{. U
“It’s our policy to only recruit those the first six months of his 16-month im-  
n who have the ability and the desire to prisonment playing basketball.
, graduate from our institution. You “We could play all we wanted,” he
, know my position on standardized test- said. "We’d go from one camp to an- Among the leg- talks with WKY1'-
}` ing that 1’ve taken since 1980. Those other, playing other teams.” Barker said f"d‘ """° '°*"""°d Tv ‘P°"’“""°'
. . tn February were Rob Bromley.
{ tests are not a good predictor of suc- his treatment as a German POW de- Rupp.; Rams, one Look hr mug
( cess for rural or for inner-city youths. pended on who was w11m1ng the war. of the most papu- coverage in the
il We expect all these young men to qual- When the U.S. got the upper hand, the I" *°""" l" uK" AP"' °|'°" ¤°°'·
i . . , . . ,, . ., basketball ltlsto- Photo by Chuck
1 1fy. But if they don t, we will work with guards began buttermg up to the ry_ Above, P-, Pe"y_
them to receive all the financial aid prisoners, he said. Riley, farmer Los
l they can qualify for including a part- "Being in the Air Force was differ- A"9°'°’ '·'k°"
timejob to make their way through the ent," he said. “1f you were in the in- :B?:°:;:;:':r'
, first year. “ fantry, they made you work. We were in
a separate compound. It was kind of a
  code between the Air Force and the
  Legends Abound tttrwarrw
{   When Barker returned to school, he
g February was a month of legends at the was the old man on the squad (26) , but
i University. Before the first home game ; made honorable mention All-Ameri- ;
( of the month (Feb. 3 vs. Georgia), three can twice — in ‘48 and ‘49. He current- l
l more jerseys were retired in Rupp ly lives in north central Florida. i
1
  Spring 1991 Kt·nuu’ky Aluninus 5
[