Untitled Document

BIG BLUE FANS FOR

BASKETBALL

YEAR BY YEAR WITH THE CATS

1957-58
The Fiddling Five
23-6
National Champions (Coach Rupp's Fourth)

When I was a kid in the driveway shooting at the hoop attached to the garage, my friends and I pretended to be Johnny Cox, Vernon Hatton, or Adrian Smith. Many imaginary games were won by one of these driveway heroes with a last second desparation shot.

1957-58--23 wins 6 losses and UK's fourth NCAA Championship.

Adolph Rupp said, "We've got fiddlers, that's all. They're pretty good fiddlers; be right entertaining at a barn dance. But I'll tell you, you need violinists to play in Carnegie Hall. We don't have any violinists." He was pining for a superstar such as the recently departed Hagan or Ramsey.

Some credit this team with a lucky draw in that they never left Kentucky in the last six games, but this team played the toughest schedule in the school's history at the time. Every team they played out of conference either won a conference title or finished near the top. Arguably the easiest game on the schedule was UK's first round NCAA game. Three of their losses were one point losses on the road.

The UKIT featured the then #1 UNC, UK at #5, West Virginia #8 with Jerry West, and #10 Minnesota. In the second round of the NCAA, UK defeated 23-4 Notre Dame 89-56 (the worst defeat in ND history at the time). In the Final Four, the Cats defeated Temple for the second time that season. Temple's only other loss was to Cincinnati and Oscar Robertson.

The Fiddling Five defeated Seattle and Elgin Baylor in the finals. After Seattle took a first half lead, they went into a semi stall. Coach John Castellani said it was to protect Baylor from fouls and injured ribs. (Less talent preferred fewer possessions in 1958 just as it does in 2006). Johnny Cox scored 16 points in the final 15 minutes despite an injured shooting hand.

The Cats were led by All American Vern Hatton, All American to be (1959) Johnny Cox, Adrian Smith who became a NBA All Star game MVP, Ed Beck, and John Crigler.

Epilogue

Coach Rupp made his recruiting pitch to Johnny Cox after he set the scoring record for the State Tournament. As Cox was walking off the floor, Coach Rupp said, "Son, how would you like to run up and down this floor the next four years?"

Contributed by Larry Butler

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