Share your Cawood story.

[Phil_The_Music]

When I was a kid, my uncle did maintenance for the elevators at commonwealth stadium. He took me and my Mom up to the press boxes. Somehow we ran into Caywood while up there. My Mom was a huge fan and asked him for an autograph. He did so but he also chatted with us for 10 minutes or so like we were old friends. He was a very nice man and I'm thankful I got to meet him.

 

[_ukcat]

I am 68 years old and as others here I grew up listening to Cawood calling UK games in both football and basketball. One of his comments that me and my buddies still shout every time UK scores a TD in football on any long play is "checking for flags".

 

[U Go UK]

Not a riveting story, but while in the Air Force in Columbus, MS, I attended a UK - MSU game. I think it was 1979.

Joined him underneath the stands during halftime to have a smoke. Just cool talking to him while on break. Meant a lot to me, because back then, I could only follow the Cats on WHAS and Cawood.

 

[BLUEDOUG46]

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 had a good friend by the name of Larry Wooden. He passed away several years ago. He owned a sports news paper called Metro Sports. He did alot of local Louisville area basketball reporting as well UK sports. His photographer got hurt in an auto crash and while he was recuperating he asked me to take his place. So during the 1991 and 1992 and 1993 seasons I was at Rupp Arena at almost every home game setting on the floor. This a side note but Jamal Mashburn almost stepped on me saving a loose ball, and I've never seen a player play harder than Deron Feldhouse in my life. During half time me and Larry would go to the media room and get hotdogs and chili and whatever they had for the media to eat. I was setting on the couch and Cawood was about four feet away smoking a cigarette (you could do that in those days), and CM newton poked his head in the media room and said something to Cawood and then left. Cawood looks at me and says " Young man can you go catch CM and tell him I need him for a minute". Of course i did what the man requested. CM came back and after a brief convo with Cawood left again. Cawood patted me on the back and thanked me and said " I cant run like I used to so thank you for doing that for me". I said anytime Cawood...anytime! I wish I wasn't young and shy back then and would have made the most of my time in that room. I never saw Cawood be anything but extremally kind to everyone he spoke to. A real class act!