What is the Best Birthday to have as a UK Fan?

Today is my 37th birthday. Thanks for noticing everybody, geez. And while having a summer birthday always opens me up for some fun activities, both outdoor and indoor, it does leave me a bit wanting when it comes to UK Athletics. The reason being, unless Kentucky makes the College World Series someday, basically no UK Athletics occur at this point in the year.

So it got me thinking: what would be the best birthdate to have in relation to being a Kentucky fan? After digging through birthdays, past games, and memorable moments in UK history, I came up with 3 dates:

No. 1: March 27

This is the only date on which Kentucky has won multiple national championships. They won the title in both 1951 and 1978 on this day. Additionally, the NCAA Tournament will often hit on this date too. UK has won an additional three NCAA Tournament games on this day. The 1993 Elite 8 against Florida State, 2003 Sweet 16 against Wisconsin, and 2011 Elite 8 against North Carolina. While the Final Four typically takes place in April now, so UK won’t win national titles anymore, this date will always bring big games.

No. 2: January 1

So you have the obvious football implications of New Year’s Day. Kentucky defeated No. 1 Oklahoma in the 1950 Sugar Bowl, TCU in the 1951 Cotton Bowl, 2018 Citrus Bowl against Penn State, and the 2022 Citrus Bowl. Some of our program’s biggest football wins have come on New Year’s Day. But there are basketball games too. The UofL game has been played on New Year’s Day before. And it is Aminu Timberlake’s birthday, so you’ve got that.

No. 3: November 30

Two major notes on this date. First, it is Joe B. Hall’s birthday. That alone elevates this date as Hall is maybe the most beloved UK figure. But how about this one? This date is the one where UK basketball has the most wins without a defeat. They have played 12 times on November 30th and won 12 times. They also beat the brakes off Louisville in football in 2019. There aren’t the “big” wins the other dates have, but if you want to be a winner, target this date.