Help With 1951 Kentucky Basketball Information

[B.B.H.]

I’m trying to learn as much as I can about the 1950-51 Kentucky Wildcats that won our third officially recognized national championship. It was a season that many people at the time looked at with bittersweet joy, as scandal was hanging over the program right at about that time. I was unable to find anything more than a two minute clip of the national championship game and was hoping to either:

1.) Find some longer video footage of this game if it exists.

2.) Be directed to an audio recording of the game’s radio broadcast (as it is not included in the Claude Sullivan audio compilation on UK’s archives).

3.) Hear as much about this team and its players from someone who would know or be pointed in the direction of a resource that would accomplish this.

Thanks

 

[Smashcat]

Here’s some info from Jon Scott’s site.

http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/statistics/roster1950-51.html

 

[B.B.H.]

Here’s some info from Jon Scott’s site.

http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/statistics/roster1950-51.html

Thank you for that. I use this website extensively. I’m looking to get even more information. We already have video of the 1948 championship game. We have audio of the 1949 championship game. We have the full video with Cawood Ledford’s radio broadcast audio of the 1958 championship. I’m really starving for more info about 1951.

 

[jeffky]

Bobby Watson cliff Hagan bill Spivey cm Newton guy strong frank ramsay to name few

 

[B.B.H.]

Do you know anything about any of the players’ play styles or abilities?

For example, I watched a thing talking about the best bigs ever to play for UK and Bill Spivey was mentioned. Despite being the first seven footer to letter for UK basketball, he was said to be very agile. I wondered did he have a midrange game. Did Frank Ramsey have deep range like Ralph Beard? Who was better Groza from ‘49 or Spivey from ‘51?

 

[RunninRichie]

The 1954 team was Rupp's best team at UK. 25-0. Before it was cool.

 

[B.B.H.]

The 1954 team was Rupp's best team at UK. 25-0. Before it was cool.

Good call. Players ruled ineligible due to graduation. Otherwise, would have been another natty.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

Good call. Players ruled ineligible due to graduation. Otherwise, would have been another natty.

I dont know if this has any usefulness or not.

https://web1.ncaa.org/radioRights/policy.html

 

[FtWorthCat]

Here is a link to hours of interviews with Rupp. He likely discusses the 1951 season in one of them. Really interesting to hear him speak. He was a great speaker/storyteller.

University of Kentucky Athletics: Adolph Rupp Oral History Project

Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries

kentuckyoralhistory.org

 

[Ripcord65]

Do you know anything about any of the players’ play styles or abilities?

For example, I watched a thing talking about the best bigs ever to play for UK and Bill Spivey was mentioned. Despite being the first seven footer to letter for UK basketball, he was said to be very agile. I wondered did he have a midrange game. Did Frank Ramsey have deep range like Ralph Beard? Who was better Groza from ‘49 or Spivey from ‘51?

With respect to "who was better, Groza or Spivey", I'll point out that in '49 Groza's teammates (7-man rotation) were Ralph Beard, Wah Wah Jones, Cliff Barker, Dale Barnstable, Jim Line, and Walt Hirsh. Groza scored 31.7% of the points among those seven. In '51, Spivey's teammates (7-man rotation) were Shelby Linville, Bobby Watson, Frank Ramsey, Cliff Hagan, Walt Hirsh, and Lucian Whitaker. Spivey scored 26.1% of the points among those seven. Five of the top six scorers on that '51 team, after Spivey, averaged 9 to 10 ppg.
The rebound stats aren't available for '49. Spivey got 30.4% of the rebounds, among that 7-man rotation in '51.
For their careers, Spivey, Hagan, and Ramsey rebound stats:
Spivey – 9.0 rpg, career (2 years)
Hagan – 13.4 rpg, career (3 years)
Ramsey – 11.4 rpg, career (3 years)
Based on all of the foregoing, I conclude that Spivey had a better supporting cast during his two years at U.K. than Groza had during the '48 and '49 seasons -- mostly because Hagan, Ramsey, Linville, and Hirsh were all strong rebounders in '51.
As for "who was better, Groza or Spivey" ... draw your own conclusions.

Best to all. Go 'Cats ! ! !

 

[TeoJ]

1A
1B

 

[JPScott]

Thank you for that. I use this website extensively. I’m looking to get even more information. We already have video of the 1948 championship game. We have audio of the 1949 championship game. We have the full video with Cawood Ledford’s radio broadcast audio of the 1958 championship. I’m really starving for more info about 1951.

It would be helpful if you explained what you plan to do with the information. Sounds to me like you're looking for audio/visual information primarily. If that's true then you can check with the UK Special Collections Library. If that's not accurate then let me know and I might be able to help you with some suggestions.

 

[B.B.H.]

It would be helpful if you explained what you plan to do with the information. Sounds to me like you're looking for audio/visual information primarily. If that's true then you can check with the UK Special Collections Library. If that's not accurate then let me know and I might be able to help you with some suggestions.

I really want to gain a better understanding of how the individual players played for us during this era of Kentucky basketball. You are correct that what I would most prefer is audio/visual. I’m thinking I may want to begin work on some self-made docuseries episodes about each Kentucky team starting with 1974, but also wanted to choose other teams prior to that such as 1948, 1949, 1951, 1954, 1958, and 1966. I’m unsure how much of this is feasible but am in the stage of throughly enjoying the process of learning as much as I can. Thank you!

 

[Estil]

Good call. Players ruled ineligible due to graduation. Otherwise, would have been another natty.

That was why Rupp declined the NCAA invite as he thought it was grossly unfair to be punishing guys who actually were truly so much student athlete that they were able to graduate early!

Say, JPScott, how many of our players in our history had already graduated before their final year of eligibility and was going for a masters (I could've sworn I remember at least one mentioned in the late 90s)? Even better still would be someone who finished their masters on the same school year they bust out of that senior hoop!

 

[trueblujr2]

Thank you for that. I use this website extensively. I’m looking to get even more information. We already have video of the 1948 championship game. We have audio of the 1949 championship game. We have the full video with Cawood Ledford’s radio broadcast audio of the 1958 championship. I’m really starving for more info about 1951.

Have to think if there was information about it, jon Scott would have it.

That being said, have you thought about contacting the University and seeing what they might have in their archives and if they would let you access it?