BTI's Rants and Ramblings: What Makes a Retired Jersey?

HOME STATE Kentucky (21): Hayden, Carey, Spicer, Sale, DeMoisey, Rouse, Rollins, Beard, Jones, Hagan, Ramsey, Evans, Rose, Bird, Grawemeyer, Hatton, Cox, Givens, Feldhaus, Pelphrey, Farmer Indiana (4): Barker, Dampier, Macy, Woods Ohio (2): Groza, Grevey Georgia (2): Spivey, Walker Louisiana (2): Nash, Robey New York (2): Riley, Mashburn Massachusetts (1): Tsioropoulos Texas (1): Burrow Illinois (1): Issel Pennsylvania (1): Bowie Tennessee (1): Delk 12 of the first 22 UK players to have their jersey retired were from the state of Kentucky.  Since that time though, only 4 of 16 players who have seen their jersey into the rafters are from the state, and 3 of those were from The Unforgettables.  What’s clear and has been clear for the past quarter century is that the quality of high school basketball in Kentucky has dipped to such a level that UK just can’t rely on recruiting the state heavy. POSITION Guard (11): Carey, Rouse, Rollins, Beard, Ramsey, Rose, Hatton, Dampier, Macy, Farmer, Woods, Delk Guard/Forward (4): Hayden, Evans, Barker, Pelphrey Forward (11): Spicer, Tsioropoulos, Bird, Grawemeyer, Cox, Riley, Grevey, Givens, Walker, Feldhaus, Mashburn Forward/Center (6): Sale, Demoisey, Jones, Nash, Robey, Bowie Center (5): Groza, Spivey, Hagan, Burrow, Issel (Positions determined by Jon Scott’s website) ERA 1920’s: Hayden, Carey, Spicer 1930’s: Sale, Demoisey, Rouse 1940’s: Rollins, Groza, Beard, Jones, Barker 1950’s: Spivey, Hagan, Ramsey, Tsioropoulos, Evans, Rose, Bird, Grawemeyer, Burrow, Hatton, Cox 1960’s: Nash, Dampier, Riley, Issel 1970’s: Grevey, Givens, Robey, Macy 1980’s: Bowie, Walker 1990’s: Farmer, Feldhaus, Pelphrey, Woods, Mashburn, Delk Somebody got a little jersey retirement happy in the 1950's. TITLE WINNERS 2 Titles: Groza, Beard, Jones, Barker 1 Title: Rollins, Spivey, Hagan, Ramsey, Tsioropoulos, Hatton, Cox, Givens, Robey, Macy, Delk No Titles: Hayden, Carey, Spicer, Sale, Demoisey, Rouse, Evans, Rose, Bird, Grawemeyer, Burrow, Nash, Dampier, Riley, Issel, Grevey, Bowie, Walker, Feldhaus, Farmer, Pelphrey, Woods, Mashburn 23 of 37 UK retired jersey's did not win a title.  And if winning titles is the most important thing (which for most fans it is), and the ONLY reason many of these guys got their jersey retired, then why does a guy staying 1 year bother people so much? VARSITY SEASONS Four (10): Groza, Beard, Jones, Givens, Robey, Walker, Feldhaus, Pelphrey, Farmer, Delk Three  (26): Hayden, Spicer, Sale, Demoisey, Rouse, Rollins, Barker, Spivey, Hagan, Ramsey, Tsioropoulos, Evans, Rose, Bird, Grawemeyer, Hatton, Cox, Nash, Dampier, Riley, Issel, Grevey, Macy, Bowie, Woods, Mashburn Two (2): Carey, Burrow One (0): None