|
Author
|
Topic: Wah Wah Jones should be remembered a a gifted athlete
|
catmandoo
Player
Member # 1284
|
posted 07-27-2014 10:35 PM
To play for both Bear Bryant and Adolph Rupp is something very, very special.
Wallace “Wah Wah” Jones could easily have been the best athlete ever to play at the University of Kentucky.
He was not only an All-American in both football and basketball the 1940s — he had the honor of playing for both Paul “Bear” Bryant and Adolph Rupp — but he also was on the gold-medal winning 1948 Olympics team. He is the only Wildcat to have his number retired in both sports at Kentucky.
He was also on the track team and played baseball at UK.
He did Sunday at age 88. He was the last surviving member of the Fabulous Five as Kenny Rollins, Alex Groza, Ralph Beard and Cliff Barker had previously all passed.
Jones was a Kentucky prep star for Harlan and won a state title in 1944. He scored 2,398 career points and was an eastern Kentucky legend.
Jones is a member of the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame, the University of Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame and the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame.
Kentucky coach John Calipari posted this on Twitter Sunday: “Sad to hear of the passing of arguably the greatest UK athlete, Wah Wah Jones. He was an All-American under Adolph Rupp and Bear Bryant. #BBN, please join me in praying for both his family and friends. He will be missed.”
Link
--------------------
http://www.ukfightsong.com/
Posts: 186359 | From: st. augustine florida 32092 | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
SCWC
Player
Member # 2464
|
posted 07-28-2014 03:36 AM
My brother was Superintendent of Schools in Harlan County and he knew Wah Wah, said he was one classy individual as well as a former UK great in all sports. He was also a very humble man according to my family who knew him.
Posts: 17777 | From: Myrtle Beach, SC | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
Green-Bean
Player
Member # 13551
|
posted 07-28-2014 08:28 AM
just imagine back in that day he was 6ft6 that was a big man, R.I.P coach Rupp and him are discussing basketball right now. in Glory Land . I worked in coal mines way back in Harlan. Played Basketball against Harlan the Green Dragons.
--------------------
I was Born A Wildcat!
That's All I'll Ever Be!
Posts: 2290 | From: Newport Ky. | Registered: Mar 2014
| IP: Logged
|
|
catmandoo
Player
Member # 1284
|
posted 07-28-2014 08:32 AM
Green-Bean, Harlan must have had one tough basketball team.
--------------------
http://www.ukfightsong.com/
Posts: 186359 | From: st. augustine florida 32092 | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
catmandoo
Player
Member # 1284
|
posted 07-28-2014 08:39 AM
Here is a picture of Wah Wah where you can see he looked to be a classy guy like Ray and Green-Bean pointed out.
[ 07-28-2014, 08:40 AM: Message edited by: catmandoo ]
--------------------
http://www.ukfightsong.com/
Posts: 186359 | From: st. augustine florida 32092 | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Green-Bean
Player
Member # 13551
|
posted 07-28-2014 08:54 AM
CMD one big class act. met him many times, as I have met Johnny Cox many times, classy guy too. I guess besides talking with Coach Rupp the Highlight of my Ky guys was talking too Cotton Nash at a Spring football game when Mumme was coachin Cotton was working a booth handing out pamplets on spring game I talked about 2 hours with him believe it or not no one reconized him. I did right off he autographed about 10 pamplets for me Great guy.
--------------------
I was Born A Wildcat!
That's All I'll Ever Be!
Posts: 2290 | From: Newport Ky. | Registered: Mar 2014
| IP: Logged
|
|
catmandoo
Player
Member # 1284
|
posted 07-28-2014 11:07 AM
Green-Bean, human beings like Wah Wah don't come around that often he was special on and off the court. Count yourself awfully lucky to have known him and some of the great Kentucky legends like Rupp, Cox, Nash and Mumme.
[ 07-28-2014, 11:18 AM: Message edited by: catmandoo ]
--------------------
http://www.ukfightsong.com/
Posts: 186359 | From: st. augustine florida 32092 | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Green-Bean
Player
Member # 13551
|
posted 07-28-2014 02:22 PM
CMD I was 13 yrs old when I met Rupp I was working in the summer at uk, mowing grass, so I could buy school clothes, I watched the 66 team practice in memorial, first thing Rupp ask me was I doing good in school, I have met many players and people at uk, fran curci, Sutton, hall, bowie Tubby, Pitino, lots of players. I worked there every summer as my brother worked for uk for 40 yrs. Bill Keightely was a great meet and Cawood, my Love for the Wildcats and the state of Ky runs deep in my Blue Blood.
--------------------
I was Born A Wildcat!
That's All I'll Ever Be!
Posts: 2290 | From: Newport Ky. | Registered: Mar 2014
| IP: Logged
|
|
catmandoo
Player
Member # 1284
|
posted 07-28-2014 02:35 PM
Green-Bean, There is no doubt in my mind that if you cut yourself there would be a stream of blue blood running out of your cut. Just hope we can meet sometime.
--------------------
http://www.ukfightsong.com/
Posts: 186359 | From: st. augustine florida 32092 | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Green-Bean
Player
Member # 13551
|
posted 07-28-2014 04:13 PM
cmd would love to meet you. Lots of Great stories we could share.
--------------------
I was Born A Wildcat!
That's All I'll Ever Be!
Posts: 2290 | From: Newport Ky. | Registered: Mar 2014
| IP: Logged
|
|
Green-Bean
Player
Member # 13551
|
posted 07-28-2014 04:13 PM
cmd would love to meet you. Lots of Great stories we could share.
--------------------
I was Born A Wildcat!
That's All I'll Ever Be!
Posts: 2290 | From: Newport Ky. | Registered: Mar 2014
| IP: Logged
|
|
SCWC
Player
Member # 2464
|
posted 07-28-2014 04:47 PM
Green-Bean, my most prized possession is the original program from the Runts loss to Texas Western back in 66. I was at the game, have the program autographed by Rupp and all the Runts. I have been offered ten thousand dollars for it but it is not for sale. Bob Tallent who was a member of that team had gone to the same high school in Floyd County I attended and I had known him most of his life. He got most of the autographs for me. I was at that game live and actually sat with the team during the Utah/Texas Western game that was played after Duke/UK on the Friday night. I must admit, I liked all the young men on that team but felt that Pat Riley was somewhat aloof, not nearly as approachable as the rest of the team.
I also come out of the coal mining area of Eastern Kentucky but never worked in one myself. My father was a miner and he died of black lung way back in 1980. I could tell when you first started posting that you were a true cat fan and the more I have gotten to know you through your posts, the more I have enjoyed participating in threads where you discuss UK basketball. Catmandoo is our glue that keeps us going in the off season and we are all very thankful for him. Catmandoo lives in St Augustine Fla and I live in Myrtle Beach SC. I see you are in the Cincy area now. It sounds like you have some great UK memories to share with us and we are all looking forward to reading some of them here. I too would love to meet you one day.
[ 07-28-2014, 04:49 PM: Message edited by: SCWC ]
Posts: 17777 | From: Myrtle Beach, SC | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
Green-Bean
Player
Member # 13551
|
posted 07-28-2014 06:33 PM
SCWC u have a prized possession in that 66 signed book. the school The talent boys went too was Maytown, I played Ball way back in that small gym against Pat Tallent Bobs brother small gym and Pat could hit shots from the center line. Wah Wah and the Harlan team wont the state championship in 1944 at the old alumni gym. Yea I watched many practices of that 66 team Riley was a hard nosed player he had that new York attitude not very approcable but could hit that corner jumper. Larry Conley was best passer I ever seen , I grew up in Hazard KY. I seen mickey Gibson play he was a good one, of course Johnny Cox was great. I worked 6 years in them coal mines in Harlan my dad worked 40 yrs in coal mines, yea I see cmd keeps everyone up on whats going on, I really love this board and talking basketball, I don't spell that well, so please overlook it these old eyes are not so good anymore. quick story MR. wildcat told once about Rupp said Rupp told him and all to drink a bottle of whiskey to the graveyard, when he passed, and he said well do u want us to drink it going there or coming back, and Rupp said heck drink it on the way there I wont be coming back with you. I went on a bus tour to Alabama when Tubby was coaching when we got back Tubby reached in his pocket and give me a 98 national championship key chain, he was a nice man. I got a lot of stories to share along the way on here. I Love Ky Basketball and the state of Ky. after the mines I was working in Blew up Scotia coal company, I came to Ohio and worked 30 yrs. for pepsi cola. In Hamilton ohio. retired Now Got Diabetes so I just keep up with the Wildcats Got me a Big Screen now, still got my old philco am radio I used to listen to Cawood on though works great.
--------------------
I was Born A Wildcat!
That's All I'll Ever Be!
Posts: 2290 | From: Newport Ky. | Registered: Mar 2014
| IP: Logged
|
|
SCWC
Player
Member # 2464
|
posted 07-28-2014 07:12 PM
I am glad you got out of the mines Bean, there was no future in that profession life wise. Many of us here were huge Tubby fans and felt he was as classy an individual as we ever had at UK. If Tubby could have recruited better he would have really been special but it seemed he lost interest in recruiting the last few years he was with us. I met Tubby and Donna in Austin Texas at the Regional Michigan State beat us in back in 2005, was very impressed with them. Actually met Ashley Judd who was sitting with Donna.
I went to Maytown High School also and have known the Tallent family all my life. Bob and Pat played at GW in DC area where I lived and I saw them play all their home games. Rupp kicked Bob off the team the year after the Texas Western loss, it occurred when they lost to Tennessee in Knoxville.
My son and I go somewhere and watch the Cats play every year, have been going since Cal took over. Started with Madison SQuare Garden his first year, Maui the second, Uncasville, Ct the third and Barclay Center last two years. I have about every book ever written about Kentucky basketball, especially the Rupp era and my first real memories of our teams start with the 51 National Championship.
Don't worry about spelling, your writing is very clear to me and anyone who worries about spelling rather than information are not true Cat fans anyway.
[ 07-28-2014, 07:20 PM: Message edited by: SCWC ]
Posts: 17777 | From: Myrtle Beach, SC | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic