March 23, 1975

Before we all settle in to watch Boston Bruins-vs.-New York Rangers game-of-the-week NHL Action on Channel 6 at 3 this Sunday afternoon, March 23, 1975, let us bask in the afterglow of UK's big win over IU as captured in the pages of Lexington's Herald-Leader ...

23 Mar 1975, Sun The Lexington Herald (Lexington, Kentucky) Newspapers.com 23 Mar 1975, Sun The Lexington Herald (Lexington, Kentucky) Newspapers.com 23 Mar 1975, Sun The Lexington Herald (Lexington, Kentucky) Newspapers.com 23 Mar 1975, Sun The Lexington Herald (Lexington, Kentucky) Newspapers.com 23 Mar 1975, Sun The Lexington Herald (Lexington, Kentucky) Newspapers.com 23 Mar 1975, Sun The Lexington Herald (Lexington, Kentucky) Newspapers.com 

I absolutely would've put this picture on Page A-1 ...

23 Mar 1975, Sun The Lexington Herald (Lexington, Kentucky) Newspapers.com

Also, the Sunday Herald-Leader has the Parade insert, which this week includes the fun of its boys' high-school all-American team ...

23 Mar 1975, Sun The Lexington Herald (Lexington, Kentucky) Newspapers.com

1975

Well, I certainly don't remember having heard of this twist ... 

Fri, Mar 21, 1975 – 1 · The Lexington Herald (Lexington, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com I did, however, know that UK won its second-round game in the 1975 NCAA men's basketball tournament ...

Fri, Mar 21, 1975 – 1 · The Lexington Herald (Lexington, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

Note to self: Don't forget to say in the comments what you want to say about this picture ...

Fri, Mar 21, 1975 – 25 · The Lexington Herald (Lexington, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

And now No. 1 IU ...

Meanwhile, in Louisville, the action is hot and heavy in the state tournament ...

Fri, Mar 21, 1975 – Page 41 · The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

The 1970s Paducah Sun-Democrat Channel Selector is one of my all-time-favorite periodicals ...

Fri, Mar 14, 1975 – 29 · The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

Fri, Mar 14, 1975 – 30 · The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

Fri, Mar 21, 1975 – 27 · The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

Fri, Mar 21, 1975 – 28 · The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

Fri, Mar 21, 1975 – 29 · The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

Fri, Mar 21, 1975 – 30 · The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

1975

Tue, Mar 4, 1975 – 13 · The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

Tue, Mar 4, 1975 – 15 · The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

Tue, Mar 4, 1975 – 15 · The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

Tue, Mar 4, 1975 – 14 · The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

Fri, Feb 28, 1975 – 30 · The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

Fri, Feb 28, 1975 – 28 · The Paducah Sun (Paducah, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

Tue, Mar 4, 1975 – 4 · The Messenger (Madisonville, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

  

Tue, Mar 4, 1975 – 11 · The Messenger (Madisonville, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

 

Tue, Mar 4, 1975 – 11 · The Messenger (Madisonville, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

 

Tue, Mar 4, 1975 – 10 · The Messenger (Madisonville, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

Tue, Mar 4, 1975 – 2 · The Messenger (Madisonville, Kentucky) · Newspapers.com

 

Tue, Mar 4, 1975 – 31 · The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) · Newspapers.com
Comments flow ...

The 8th District in 1975

And to wrap up our coverage of the 1975 district tournaments, here are the results from the 8th District, which has long been dominated by the Hoptown schools:

Christian Co. 101, Ft. Campbell 44

Hopkinsville 62, Todd Co. Cent. 55

Christian Co. 64, Hopkinsville 52

Two years after this tournament, University Heights opened, and U-Heights has been a thorn in the side of Christian County and Hopkinsville ever since.

Prior to the 1967-68 school year, Hopkinsville had a historically African-American high school known as Hopkinsville Crispus Attucks.

Prior to the 1964-65 school year, Todd County had a historically African-American high school known as Todd County Training.

Prior to the 1963-64 school year, Todd County Central was formed from a merger of Todd County High, Clifty, and Guthrie.

Fort Campbell High School came into existence in the 1962-63 school year.

Christian County High School opened in the fall of 1959 after a merger of the Crofton Cougars, the Lacy Wildcats, the Pembroke Owls, the Sinking Fork Panthers, and the South Christian Green Dragons. (South Christian had been formed in the fall of 1941 from a merger of Howell and LaFayette High Schools).

The 7th District in 1975

In our continuing series on the 1975 basketball season in Western Kentucky, here are the scores from the Seventh District:

Earlington 66, South Hopkins 57

Madisonville 72, West Hopkins 64

Earlington 87, Dawson Springs 81

Madisonville 76, Earlington 66

This was the last year that the Earlington Yellow Jackets fielded a team. The next year, the 1967 State Champs disappeared into the West Hopkins Rebels and the South Hopkins Tomcats. After the 1995-96 school year, another redistricting left the Hopkins County School District with only two high schools: Madisonville-North Hopkins and Hopkins County Central.

Until the 1966-67 school year, Madisonville had a historically African-American school known as the Madisonville Rosenwald Tigers. My guess is that the school was named after this guy.

Until the 1964-65 school year, Earlington had a historically African-American school known as Earlington Million. Two years after the two Earlington schools were merged, they became the first team in the history of the Second Region to win the state championship.

After the 1961-62 school year, West Hopkins High School was formed from Charleston, Dalton, and Nebo High Schools, while Hanson High School was merged with Madisonville, which was re-named Madisonville-North Hopkins.

Although Dawson Springs was historically a member of this district, it played in the Hopkinsville district from 1960 to 1972. According to the invaluable information collected at KentuckySportsHistory.com, it was reported that in the 1959 Seventh District Tournament, a Madisonville Maroon fan poured a Coke on the head of Dawson Springs Coach George Perry, and Perry vowed never to play in that district again.

South Hopkins High School was formed from a merger between Mortons Gap and Nortonville after the 1954-55 school year.

So if anyone were inclined to make up an eight-team league for use in imaginary sports competition, he could do so with the eight high schools that used to belong to the Hopkins County School District: Charleston, Dalton, Earlington, Hanson, Madisonville, Mortons Gap, Nebo, and Nortonville.

And then the champion of that league could have a playoff against the champion of a league formed from the eight historic high schools in Graves County: Cuba, Fancy Farm, Farmington, Lowes, Mayfield, Sedalia, Symsonia, and Wingo.

The 6th District Tournament in 1975

Here's what happened in the 6th District boys' basketball tournament in 1975. This tournament was played at Henderson City High School: 

Union Co. 63, Webster Co. 42 

Providence 81, Henderson Co. 61 

Union Co. 62, Henderson City 39 

Union Co. 81, Providence 56 

A few notes: 

After the 1975-76 school year, Henderson City H.S. was merged into Henderson County High. 

After the 2005-06 school year, Providence H.S. was absorbed by Webster County High. 

Prior to the 1970-71 school year, Henderson had a Catholic school known as Henderson Holy Name. 

Union County was formed in 1964 from the merger of Morganfield and Stugis High Schools. 

Before the beginning of the 1967-68 year, there was a high school in Morganfield known as St. Vincent's Academy. You can find information about it here and here.

The 5th District Tournament in 1975

Continuing our look at 1975, here was how the Fifth District Tournament played out that year: 

Trigg Co. 68, Livingston Central 44 

Crittenden Co. 74, Lyon Co. 65 

Trigg Co. 82, Caldwell Co. 69 

Trigg Co. 92, Crittenden Co. 57 

By the way, the last school merger in this part of the Commonwealth took place at the beginning of the 1972-73 season, when the Fredonia Yellowjackets merged into Caldwell County. 

Other facts about this district: 

Princeton Dotson, the school for African-Americans in Princeton, merged with Caldwell County at the beginning of the 1963-64 school year. 

During the 1957-58 season, Salem High School merged with Livingston County to form Livingston Central. 

Before the 1957-58 school year, Marion High School merged with Crittenden County High School. 

Before the 1950-51 school year, Shady Grove H.S., Tolu H.S., Mattoon H.S., and Frances H.S. merged to form Crittenden County High School. 

In its last year of existence (1950), Frances High School won the Sixth District Tournament with big wins over Mattoon (75-29), Marion (75-30), and Livingston County (59-38). In the 2d Region tournament, Frances beat Lyon County 59-55 to reach the semi-finals. But in the semi-final, Frances lost to Guthrie 47-45 in its final game. Frances ended the year with a record of 32-4. 

Before the 1947-48 school year, Kuttawa High School and Eddyville High School merged to form Lyon Co.

The 4th District Tournament in 1975

This was the first year the Marshall County Marshals participated in the KHSAA playoffs; MCHS was formed from the merger of the Benton Indians, the North Marshall Jets, and the South Marshall Rebels at the beginning of the 1974-75 school year. This left the 4th district with only three teams, which resulted in a rather goofy format whereby the team that lost the first game got another chance to make the district final and thereby qualify for regionals. 

All games at Murray State: 

Calloway Co. 51, Marshall Co. 47 

Murray 60, Marshall Co. 56 

Calloway Co. 58, Murray 44 

Other notes on this district: 

Prior to 1970-71, Murray had a school known as Murray University School. Before 1967, that school had been known as Murray College High. 

Prior to 1963-64, there was an African-American school in Murray known as Murray Douglass. 

The 1960 4th District Tournament featured 11 schools. But before the 1960-61 school year, Calloway County H.S. was formed from a merger of the Almo Warriors, the Hazel Lions, the Faxon Panthers, the Kirksey Eagles, the Lynn Grove Wildcats, and the New Concord Redbirds.

South Marshall High School was formed in the fall of 1956. It resulted from a merger of the Brewers Redmen and Hardin High School. Brewers went undefeated and won the state title in 1948 -- and it was the last state champ to finish the season with a perfect record.

North Marshall High School -- the last high school from the First Region to win the State Championship -- was formed in the fall of 1954. It resulted from a merger of the Sharpe Green Devils, Calvert City, Gilbertsville, and Briensburg.

The 3d District Tournament in 1975

Back in 1975, the Third District Tournament featured all of the schools in Graves County, and it was always played at Mayfield. This used to be my favorite district tourney. We don't have all the scores from 1975, but here's what we do have: 

Mayfield defeated Cuba 

Symsonia 62, Fancy Farm 59 

Wingo 81, Farmington 61 

Lowes 78, Sedalia 74 

Mayfield defeated Symsonia 

Wingo 65, Loews 61 

Mayfield 81, Wingo 58 

After the 1984-85 school year, Graves County was formed by the merger of the Farmington Wildcats, the Fancy Farm Golden Gophers, the Lowes Blue Devils, the Sedalia Lions, the Symsonia Roughriders, and the Wingo Indians.

After the 1976-77 school year, the Cuba Cubs were absorbed by Sedalia and Wingo.

Prior to the 1966-67 school year, there was an African-American high school in Mayfield known as Mayfield Dunbar.

The 2d District Tournament in 1975

Here's our own beloved Second District in 1975 (all games in Lone Oak): 

St. Mary 73, Reidland 64 

Paducah Tilghman 45, Heath 23 (Heath was coached by Frank Wright) 

Lone Oak 91, St. Mary 90 

Paducah Tilghman 86, Ballard Mem. 56 

Paducah Tilghman 91, Lone Oak 63 

Prior to the 1965-66 school year, there was an African-American school in Paducah known as Paducah Lincoln. 

In 1956, Heath won the 2d District Tournament with wins over Lone Oak (64-54 in overtime), St. Mary (98-63), and Tilghman (72-71). I'm pretty sure that the jerseys from this team were the jerseys hanging in the Heath Gym when I was in high school. Heath went to the 1st Region tournament, where the Pirates beat Fulgham 96-67 in the quarte-finals -- but lost 60-49 in overtime to Benton in the semi-finals. Heath finished with a record of 30-1, and its coach -- Bill Carter -- was named the C-J's Coach of the Year. (Mayfield blew out Benton, 49-32, in the regional final.) 

Ballard Memorial was formed before the 1952-53 school year. Before then, Ballard County had the following high schools: Bandana, Barlow-Kevil, Blandville, LaCenter, and Wickliffe.

The 1st District Tournament in 1975

In light of Eric's posts on 1975, and the ongoing district playoffs, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the various boys' basketball playoffs from that year. Here is the First District, which consisted of the same four teams in 1975 as it does now (all games at Carlisle County): 

Carlisle Co. 96, Fulton City 63 

Hickman Co. 65, Fulton Co. 59 

Carlisle Co. 68, Hickman Co. 55

Prior to the 1966-67 school year, there was a historically black high school in Hickman (the county seat of Fulton County) known as Hickman Riverview.

Hickman County H.S. was formed from a merger of Clinton Central and Fulgham High School after the 1958-59 school year.

Carlisle County H.S. was formed from a merger of the Arlington Aces, the Bardwell Indians, the Milburn Blue Devils, and the Cunningham Wildcats after the 1956-57 school year.

While the available records are not entirely clear, it appears that Fulton County was formed after the 1956-57 school year by merging Cayce and Hickman High Schools.

Oh, Kentucky

KHSAA wrestling finals! 

KET News Quiz! 

An ex-WKU tuba star is coming home to Kentucky from New Mexico to lead the first Bardstown Thomas Nelson High School marching band of Generals. 

The rare Brohm to have not quarterbacked U of L is the first football coach. 

Bowling Green, Owensboro, Versailles and (almost) Jamestown are certifiably ready for good jobs news. Bad ahead for Olive Hill? 

Louisville loves its TV hoops. 

The bridge is re-opening! (No, not that bridge.) 

This might mean that La Grange will be getting its caboose soon. 

Preliminary Country Music Highway Road to Fame competitions kick off March 15 in Pikeville. 

Landline pullback? 

Draffens demolition. 

Of the "doctrinal commitments of the Elkhorn Baptist Association."