Johnny Cox was a member of my favorite UK team of all time, "The Fiddling Five. " I had the pleasure of meeting him and talking to him on a couple of occasions. He was a friend of my cousin, Dr Herbert Greene, who had a dental practice in Lexington during the 60's and 70's. Herb introduced me to him and Johnny told me a story about he, Herb, and a couple of other guys taking off one evening (after drinking about a Mule's ear full of bourbon) driving down to Perry County. and building a fire, roasting potatoes and finishing off all their bourbon until the sun came up. What he described was a typical fox hunt routine in the Eastern Ky mountains.
What I remembered about Cox as a player was his tremendous quickness and leaping ability when going for a rebound and his looping hook shot.
I also had the pleasure of spending about ten days in the 2002 - 2004 time frame on a cruise with John Crigler who was a starting forward on the " fiddling five." I was working out in the ship's fitness center when I bumped in to a teenager with a UK shirt on. He told me he was John Crigler's nephew and that Crigler was on the ship. I met John and his two brother's. One was a retired Air Natl Guard Major General and the other one was the district attorney in one of the northern Ky counties. I hung out with them for the duration of the cruise and bombarded John with questions about my favorite team.
Johnny Cox and John Crigler were both humble , down to earth people. One of the highlights of my life to meet and talk to two members of the 58 team.
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