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Share your Cawood story.

SemperFiCat

All-American
Mar 2, 2009
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Central Indy
I'm sure many of you met Cawood Ledford, or even knew him. Care to share your favorite Cawood story?

I don't have anything great. But, growing up by Indy, (and before internet streaming) it was always a treat when dad could pick up UK games over the radio. It wasn't very often, and less often was it very clear. I didn't understand it at the time, but dad really made it seem like Cawood was just as much a part of the UK experience as the players themselves. Glad I had those times.
 
I've posted this before, but it's been a while. My favorite Cawood moment came in the early 80's in gainsville. The florida cheerleaders were blocking Cawood's view of the ongoing action.
Cawood: "I'd love to be able to tell the folks back home what's happening, but a florida cheerleader keeps shaking her fuzzy thing right in my face"
Ralph: "Pom poms, Cawood. Pom poms"
 
I was too young to remember him calling games. I do remember in July 1999 he was chosen to introduce Bill Clinton when he came to Hazard on a sweltering day.
 
Many moons ago I worked for a local furniture company and we sold Ducane Gas Grills. Cawood came in and purchased a new grill. He needed help setting it up back home in Harlan area. I drove down the following weekend. When i arrived there was a house full of people. Cawood had a family member pass and forgot to call and reschedule me. He broke away from his family, gave me a tour of his property with my wife, introduced us to all at the house "Like we were known family". Then took us out to the barn to show us his pride and joy "miniature ponies". His show ponies. We spent a good hour visiting and then he went back to his family and I setup and tested the grill in his back yard. We said our goodbyes and were on our way. He was a great host and genuine person.
 
Many moons ago I worked for a local furniture company and we sold Ducane Gas Grills. Cawood came in and purchased a new grill. He needed help setting it up back home in Harlan area. I drove down the following weekend. When i arrived there was a house full of people. Cawood had a family member pass and forgot to call and reschedule me. He broke away from his family, gave me a tour of his property with my wife, introduced us to all at the house "Like we were known family". Then took us out to the barn to show us his pride and joy "miniature ponies". His show ponies. We spent a good hour visiting and then he went back to his family and I setup and tested the grill in his back yard. We said our goodbyes and were on our way. He was a great host and genuine person.
There was a lengthy thread recently that debated what it meant to be 'Southern'. I think that nailed it.
 
Sad as it is I was born in ‘85. So I don’t really have the Cawood memories others like my father have who was born in ‘48. To me this is how we know the old from the stronger ones nowadays. If you have a lot of memories of Cawood you’re almost outa here. If you don’t you probably hit the gym 5 days a week / good to go.
 
Many moons ago I worked for a local furniture company and we sold Ducane Gas Grills. Cawood came in and purchased a new grill. He needed help setting it up back home in Harlan area. I drove down the following weekend. When i arrived there was a house full of people. Cawood had a family member pass and forgot to call and reschedule me. He broke away from his family, gave me a tour of his property with my wife, introduced us to all at the house "Like we were known family". Then took us out to the barn to show us his pride and joy "miniature ponies". His show ponies. We spent a good hour visiting and then he went back to his family and I setup and tested the grill in his back yard. We said our goodbyes and were on our way. He was a great host and genuine person.

This class of people is gone, or almost there. We got to know Joe B simply by meeting him once and my family forged a long term relationship out of it. I’ve got a lot of jerseys and memorabilia given to my father straight from his hand. A few fishing trips and allowed us around the team some when I was really young.

Todays generations suck. The last good one was the greats.
 
You probably did like UK as a little kid, then went to Memphis and Cal took a massive dump on you and left for the big boy table and now you devote your life to hating him. Funny! Funny to watch 38 year olds that still live with mommy obsess over a game.

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Sad as it is I was born in ‘85. So I don’t really have the Cawood memories others like my father have who was born in ‘48. To me this is how we know the old from the stronger ones nowadays. If you have a lot of memories of Cawood you’re almost outa here. If you don’t you probably hit the gym 5 days a week / good to go.
Ok hold on now, I listened to Cawood for his last 20 years on the air. I'm in my mid-late 50s and unless the bourbon gets me I don't plan on checking out any time soon.

Hell, I was distraught when Al Michaels quit calling the Reds on radio.
 
I got to meet Wah Wah Jones once. At a UK football game. Him being from Harlan County like me, it was a little more meaningful. Very nice and friendly. Taller than I expected. Very cordial.

Never had the pleasure of meeting Cawood Ledford.
 
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Ok hold on now, I listened to Cawood for his last 20 years on the air. I'm in my mid-late 50s and unless the bourbon gets me I don't plan on checking out any time soon.

Hell, I was distraught when Al Michaels quit calling the Reds on radio.

Goff 55 is the new 70 these days. It works the opposite of what we thought in the age of medicine due to processed foods.

So by average you’ve got 3 years left.

I know how it feels losing these guys tho. I did grow up listening heavily to Jack Buck and when he left it was weird. Then Mike Shannon retiring last year I was there, never seen so many cry in Busch. Those radio guys just had an effect.

I still remember sitting in the old Mike Shannon restaurant while he and Buck did the radio show from the booth. Things are just never the same when they’re gone. Cardinal fans were just lucky we had two goats back to back. Pretty rare.
 
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Goff 55 is the new 70 these days. It works the opposite of what we thought in the age of medicine due to processed foods.

So by average you’ve got 3 years left.

I know how it feels losing these guys tho. I did grow up listening heavily to Jack Buck and when he left it was weird. Then Mike Shannon retiring last year I was there, never seen so many cry in Busch. Those radio guys just had an effect.

I still remember sitting in the old Mike Shannon restaurant while he and Buck did the radio show from the booth. Things are just never the same when they’re gone. Cardinal fans were just lucky we had two goats back to back. Pretty rare.
Well enjoy the next 20 Grom because I feel like I went to sleep at 35 and woke up at 55. Sometimes I still can't believe it.
 
Well enjoy the next 20 Grom because I feel like I went to sleep at 35 and woke up at 55. Sometimes I still can't believe it.

I can imagine I don’t even want to think about it. Since my son was born in 2014 I feel like I’ve been put in a time warp.
 
Didn't mean to derail the thread.....carry on with the Cawood stories. I love 'em.
 
Didn't mean to derail the thread.....carry on with the Cawood stories. I love 'em.

I’ve heard so many though. My father always told me I don’t know Jack rip about UK because I didn’t hear Cawood enough.
 
I was raised by my Nana and Papa. We didn't have cable TV and to watch UK games we had to go to his cousins house in town, maybe a handful times a yr. Cawood was the primary source for UK basketball. Some of my favorite memories of my Papa was sitting by the radio and listening to the UK game. I miss those days
 
I can't remember the occasion exactly, but it might have been some type of fund-raising event at the Campbell House in Lexington, when I was introduced to Cawood by a friend that night and what had always been a radio, as the source of that distinct and memorable voice, was suddenly coming from this man standing just in front of me. Cawood's voice was one-of-a-kind, and a man that was revered by so many.

The last time I heard his voice was when Duke beat UK in the NCAA Regionals that turned out to be his last broadcast when he said something like, "For those of you that have traveled down that glory road with me ... good night". It's really something that's hard to explain but that moment just about broke me. I think it was "in that moment" I realized that I was losing something that was more important to me than I had realized. It was sobering. I just can't imagine anyone who will ever be able to fill those shoes. He was so efficient and telling with his words, you could almost believe you were watching the game live. "Moving left to right on your radio dial" ... LOL, for me that was so descriptive and Cawood never played favorites when he told you when a UK player was "stinking up the place". Just love those treasured memories.
 
I never met Cawood but I listened to him broadcast most games when I was young. I still miss him and have enjoyed reading everyone's experiences with him.
 
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I never met Cawood but I listened to him broadcast most games when I was young. I still miss him and have enjoyed reading everyone's experiences with him.
Exactly. I'm somehow 58. When I was little, there were very few games that you could watch on television, so Cawood was our connection to the Cats. Listening to the games on the radio with Cawood doing the commentary is something I'll always remember. He was great and made you see the action with your ears.
 
No story, really, but I credit Cawood for teaching me the game of basketball. My formative years as a basketball fan were when I was a kid and UK was on tv probation. I'd listen to Cawood and shoot hoops on my nerf basketball goal in my room. Cawood taught me the game.
 
Cawood was a legend around our house. I listened to him a many nights on and old philco radio in a tobacco stripping room that was maybe big enough for eight people, would most of the time had at least twelve in it lol. I can tell you this when he was on the air calling the game you could have heard a pin drop in that stripping room too!
 
Also, crazy thing is we’ve got a lot of memorabilia but only one Cawood. I need to build that up.

This is also why I just can’t stand Calipari anymore. The men like Cawood and Rupp / Joe B, their efforts have been crapped on by this bullshit Calipari is pushing. I’m sorry but I won’t forgive him turning this program into a training center and never once thinking about how those men would feel about it.

You’re right Calipari, you’re just one guy in the seat. And it’s about time you got the hell out of it.
 
IIRC, and This goes WAY back when Cawood called HS games as well as UK. My brother was playing for LCHS and I was listening to the game on the radio and my brother took a shot and Cawoods call was, "CatinIL's Brother with the shot...and it's an air ball." I still laugh to this day.
 
It was my first visit to Rupp. At half time my bladder was bursting. I moved out into the hallway looking for a restroom, but the crowd was so thick that and I was so short that I could not see a sign and had no idea which way to go. A guy with a voice that I knew well tapped me in the shoulder and said, it's over that way. He had a smile on face as if he understood my peridictament.
 
Cawiod was the absolute best. Will never be one better. He was especially great calling football. Remember him referring to a few of Mike Fanuzzi’s passes as “wounded ducks”😂.
 
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I’m 62 so this was probably about 55 years ago. My dad’s parents were sitting at the kitchen table with the radio on when we came to visit one weekend. We (I have 3 siblings) only got to visit about once a month. So we go into the kitchen and the only words my grandma says is be quiet, it’s Cawood on the radio. I’ll never forget it. Also, other posters above mentioned K and Cawood in 92. Biggest shit move I’ve ever seen. He had no business doing that.
 
I’m 62 so this was probably about 55 years ago. My dad’s parents were sitting at the kitchen table with the radio on when we came to visit one weekend. We (I have 3 siblings) only got to visit about once a month. So we go into the kitchen and the only words my grandma says is be quiet, it’s Cawood on the radio. I’ll never forget it. Also, other posters above mentioned K and Cawood in 92. Biggest shit move I’ve ever seen. He had no business doing that.
[laughing]
 
My favorite memories of Cawood are the ones where he signed on and let us know that “Kentucky was moving left to right on your radio dial” I could instantly see the game thru his words. Magic, pure magic. My least favorite was him signing off after the Duke game. I was already a wreck but when he did that final sign off, that was about the loneliest feeling in the world. Looking back now, I realize that I was in the presence of the best play by play guy to ever hold a microphone bar none. What an honor to have that as a memory.
 
I listened to Caywood from 1957 onward missing a few while serving in the Army.
He was the best I've ever heard! His descriptions of the game were like being there. You could tell if they were playing well or not so good, as Caywood made words draw the picture.
Again he was the BEST.
 
I actually listened to the Duke game coming back from a vacation that I don't even remember. Cawood was just someone you became accustomed to. The only time that I had ever admired Coach K. was when he came on the air and talked kindly of Cawood after one of the greatest games in history.
 
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