The date of death of the following Kentucky players has been tentatively identified. Those with a (P) have a photograph available if useful. Those with a (**) have a biography or obituary, however those without do not. Any assistance in confirming this information or in obtaining or locating biographical information is appreciated. This type of information may possibly be available in appropriate local or national newspapers or from relatives.
For listings which have not been confirmed, a best guess has been made based on the uniqueness of the name, middle initial if known, age of person as it relates to the expected birth year and even place of death. A major source of this information comes from the KYrootsweb website which lists any person who died in the state of Kentucky between 1911 and 2000. Another useful site is the Social Security Death Index which provides DOB and DOD information on virtually anyone who received a social security benefit. The hometown when the player was in college, the place of death and residence of death is given (if known) in order to assist in locating appropriate obituaries or biographies. If you have any relevant information, please contact me at the address below. For more information on the other type of data I am searching for with my site, please check the following page.
Status: Confirmed - Need Obit - The dates have generally been confirmed by an outside source, however an obituary is still desired.
| Player | Last Season Played | Known Date of Death | Hometown (at School) | Known Date of Birth | Estimated Birth Year | Unconfirmed Birth Year | Unconfirmed Date of Death | Unconfirmed Residence | Unconfirmed Place of Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carl Ellis Althaus (P) (A) | 1942-43 | 2/11/2009 (**) | Louisville, KY | 4/20/1921 | 1921 | NA | NA | - | - | Born in Louisville in 1921. Check Santa Ana (CA) ( ) ask for lookup or Louisville KY LCJ (X checked Feb 12-15 nothing) |
| Richard Hood Arnett (P) (A) | 1903-04 | 1/9/1955 (**) | Troy, KY | 3/25/1883 | 1883 | NA | NA | San Diego, CA | - | Check outside library (San Diego, San Diego County, CA) with DOD of January 9, 1955. (X - does not show up in index of San Diego Union) Try Yucaipa CA ( ) - outside library |
| Robert Marion Cluggish (P) [Robert] (A) | 1939-40 | 9/5/2008 (**) | Corbin, KY | 9/18/1917 | 1917 | NA | NA | - | - | Look in Corbin KY paper News Journal / Whitley Republican S 94-5 (X - checked SEP 10 and SEP 17 nothing) or Maitland FL ( ) or Orlando Sentinel Star (X - checked Sep 6-9) LOC # 2089 |
| Henry Lester Farmer (P) (A) | 1912-13 | 5/30/1914 (**) | Harlan, KY | - | 1890 | NA | NA | - | - | Died in Golden Colorado trying to recover from Tuberculosis. Check Harlan paper for more detailed obituary. No Harlan paper carried in WTY Lib during this date ( ) Ask for lookup |
| James William Goforth (P) (A) | 1936-37 | 6/22/1944 (**) | Louisville, KY | 10/19/1913 | 1913 | NA | NA | Saipan - WWII | - | KIA - WWII (Saipan). Could check LCJ sometime after 22-JUN-1944 ( ) but need date. |
| Walter Velmer Hodge (P) (A) | 1936-37 | 2/10/1980 | Paris, KY | - | 1916 | NA | NA | - | - | Check WWII Military Records ( ). Likely San Diego CA Feb 10, 1980 (X - does not show up in index of San Diego Union) San Diego Union ( ) LOC # 0976; Also check Covington KY paper Kentucky Post S365 (X looked from Feb 11 to Feb 13) Kentucky Messenger S 214 ( X - a religious newspaper, nothing useful) |
| Walter Marion Johnson (P) (A) | 1943-44 | 7/30/1945 (**) | Mount Sterling, KY | 10/30/1925 | 1925 | NA | NA | WWII | - | KIA WWII (Pacific) Check Mount Sterling Advocate S 215 ( X looked Sep 6 to Oct 11, didn't find ) or Mount Sterling Gazette S 600 ( ) or Sentinel Democrat S 239 ( ) sometime after July 1945, more likely September 1945 when reported killed in action. |
| James Libern King (P) (A) | 1941-42 | 2/24/1944 (**) | Sharpe, KY | 9/30/1919 | 1919 | NA | NA | WWII | - | KIA WWII (Germany). Could check Benton Tribune Democrat S 251 ( ) sometime after Feb 24, 1944 but need date. |
| Bernard Opper (P) (A) | 1938-39 | 2/24/2000 | New York, NY | 9/1/1915 | 1915 | NA | NA | - | Encino, CA | Check NY papers or Encino, Los Angeles County, CA ( ) papers (outside library) |
| Clyde Wendel Parker (P) (A) | 1942-43 | 11/5/2008 | Chrisney, IN | 5/16/1923 | 1923 | NA | NA | - | - | Check Evansville IN paper ( ) or Chrisney IN paper ( ). Outside Library Ask for lookup. |
| Roscoe C. Preston (P) [Roscoe] (A) | 1913-14 | 2/16/1929 (**) | Inez, KY | 3/9/1890 | 1890 | NA | NA | Arizona (1929) | - | Look in Phoenix AZ (X) outside library, Pike County News ( ) S229 and Big Sandy News S138 (X got short obit) Rescan Big Sandy News S138 22-FEB-1929 "R.C. Preston Buried at Richardson Friday" |
Status: Found Obit - Need Confirmation - An obituary has been located, however it does not provide enough information to confirm this is the same person who played basketball at Kentucky. Generally requires additional information or a more extensive obituary.
| Player | Last Season Played | Known Date of Death | Hometown (at School) | Known Date of Birth | Estimated Birth Year | Unconfirmed Birth Year | Unconfirmed Date of Death | Unconfirmed Residence | Unconfirmed Place of Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Marshall Crump (P) (A) | 1930-31 | - | Fort Thomas, KY | - | 1909 | 11/3/1906 | 2/20/1991 | Fayette | Fayette | LHL has short obit on 2/21/1991 p. b8 Located. "Lawrence M. Crump, 84, 247 North Mill Street, retired manager of the Lexington Credit Bureau, husband of Lucy Shropshire Crump." Need to check further if this is same person. |
| Frank T. Etscorn (P) (A) | 1941-42 | 11/2/1986 (**) | Valley Station, KY | 2/23/1921 | 1921 | NA | NA | Orlando, FL | Orlando, FL | SS has DOD as November 1986 in Orlando FL. [Orange County] Orlando Sentinel Star ( ) LOC # 2089 (outside library) or Kentucky papers. Herald Leader ( ). Looked in LCJ (X Nov 3 - 5, did not find) |
| Keith W. Farnsley (P) (A) | 1940-41 | 5/2/1990 (**) | New Albany, IN | 2/11/1918 | 1918 | NA | NA | - | - | Checked New Albany IN library (outside library) (X - received) Asked for lookup. Still need confirmation. |
| William Heizer (P) [William] (A) | 1926-27 | - | Lexington, KY | - | 1906 | 4/29/1908 | 9/1/1994 | Fayette | Fayette | Try William L. Heizer. Check Lexington LHL. 9/3/1994 B2 ( X ) LHL doesn't confirm he played at UK. Confirm with relatives ( ) |
| Fred Louis McLane (P) (A) | 1929-30 | 5/19/1988 (**) | Newport, KY | 4/11/1908 | 1908 | NA | NA | - | - | Check Fort Thomas Campbell County Recorder S81-075 ( X not mentioned in 5/25 edition) or Kenton County Kentucky Post S 365 (X - found short obit no confirmation) or Cincinnati papers. ( ) ( ) Need to confirm this is the right person. His father may have been mayor of Newport. Check WWII military records ( ) |
| Hays Hiram Owens (P) (A) | 1929-30 | 7/24/1972 (**) | Lexington, KY | 11/2/1907 | 1907 | NA | NA | - | Vincennes, IN | SSDI index suggests July 1972. Check Vincennes, Knox County, IN newspaper. ( ) (outside library) |
| Ruric Creegan Roark (A) | 1903-04 | 5/9/1962 (**) | Lexington, KY | 3/13/1887 | 1887 | NA | NA | - | - | Likely Ruric Creegan Roark, died in Washington D.C. May 9, 1962. (X ) Check Canton PA ( ) outside library. |
| Robert Strohm (P) (A) | 1936-37 | 8/28/2002 (**) | Chicago, IL | 3/16/1916 | 1916 | NA | NA | - | - | Name is J. Robert Strohm. Short obit in Winnetka IL paper available but need confirmation. Check Palm Beach ( ) / Boynton Beach ( ) Fl papers. Outside library. |
| James E. Wilhelm (P) (A) | 1920-21 | 9/5/1982 (**) | Paducah, KY | 10/28/1898 | 1898 | NA | NA | - | - | Short obit in Alameda CA paper (X - received) outside library. |
| George M. Yates (P) (A) | 1932-33 | - | Elizabethtown, KY | - | 1910 | - | - | - | - | According to SSDI index, There is a George Yates born 1/28/1910, dod April 18 1982 Bardwell, Carlisle KY. Try Carlisle County News S 144 (X - found but doesn't confirm) Try alternative dob 17-SEP-1912 Died Franklin, Simpson, dod December 1976 - Franklin Favorite S 169 ( ) |
Status: High - Based on the evidence at hand, it is believed that the estimated date is accurate. This is usually attributed to an uncommon name which matches an expected birth year or a solid matching of expected birth year, name (including middle initial) and location.
| Player | Last Season Played | Known Date of Death | Hometown (at School) | Known Date of Birth | Estimated Birth Year | Unconfirmed Birth Year | Unconfirmed Date of Death | Unconfirmed Residence | Unconfirmed Place of Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jay Harmon Gaiser (P) [Jay] (A) | 1911-12 | 6/18/1978 | Lexington, KY | 8/17/1890 | 1890 | NA | NA | New York, NY | - | SS Residence in Westchester NY [Bedford County], issued in NY. Est. DOD is June 1978, no day given. Suggested DOB is 8/17/1890. Check outside library ( ) Greenwich CT June 18, 1978. Also check Lexington Herald (X looked June 19-21) and Leader (X ) |
| Harry Curry Gorham (P) (A) | 1943-44 | - | Lexington, KY | - | 1924 | 2/27/1926 | 5/25/2003 | - | - | Check Lex. Herald Leader (X - no ) - Doesn't appear in electronic search. |
| Samuel Harper (P) [Samuel] (A) | 1963-64 | 3/7/1999 (**) | Clinton, KY | 11/27/1943 | 1943 | NA | NA | Boyle | Boyle | Check Lexington paper and next day of Danville paper. Danville paper (3/8/1999) does not have a lot of information and doesn't confirm he was a former UK athlete. |
| Elmer Woodson Hopkins (P) (A) | 1914-15 | - | Henderson, KY | 3/17/1893 | 1893 | 3/17/1893 | 5/26/1980 | Harlan | Harlan | Check Henderson paper (Gleaner S-369) (X checked to May 30, no information ) Other ? ( ) |
| Herbert E. Jerome (P) (A) | 1933-34 | - | Tulsa, OK | - | 1913 | 11/14/1913 | 5/12/1992 | - | - | Most likely died in Tulsa OK 12-May-1992. Tulsa World ( X) LOC #1431. Short blurb on 13th, nothing after. |
| Paul Liberto Lansaw (P) (A) | 1950-51 | - | Middletown, OH | - | 1929 | 12/7/1928 | 12/4/1999 | - | - | Looked in Middletown OH Journal (X). |
| Robert Edward Lavin (P) [Robert] (A) | 1921-22 | - | Paris, KY | 8/31/1900 | 1900 | - | 11/1/1972 | - | - | WWI registration card gives dob as 8/31/1900. SSDI lists dod as Nov. 1972 in Brooklyn, Kings County, NY. Check New York paper ? ( ) Paris KY paper Citizen Advisor (weekly) S686 ( X - checked all of November and 1st week of December, not there.) |
| Lawrence Irving Longsworth (P) [Lawrence] (A) | 1916-17 | - | Somerset, KY | - | 1894 | 1/8/1895 | 3/1/1969 | - | - | Need first name. Dutch no doubt nickname. Check Lex. Papers in March 1969. Herald ( ) Leader ( ) Fort Myers FL ( ) |
| Dan Perry (P) (A) | 1971-72 | - | Lima, OH | 9/22/1951 | 1951 | - | 4/12/1982 | - | - | Check LHL ( ) |
Status: Medium - Based on the evidence at hand, it is believed that there is likely that the date is accurate.
| Player | Last Season Played | Known Date of Death | Hometown (at School) | Known Date of Birth | Estimated Birth Year | Unconfirmed Birth Year | Unconfirmed Date of Death | Unconfirmed Residence | Unconfirmed Place of Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Elmer Beatty (P) (A) | 1911-12 | - | Smithfield, KY | - | 1889 | 4/4/1891 | 3/1/1977 | - | - | Check San Diego CA (X - does not show up in index of San Diego Union) 01-MAR-1977. Outside Library. Try local Smithfield KY paper Henry County Local S 185( ) |
| Cecil Combs (P) (A) | 1929-30 | - | Lexington, KY | - | 1907 | - | 3/2/1954 | - | - | Not likely to be person from 2-APR-1975 Tried Herald Voice (X) S76-102 and Hazard Herald (X - looked at 4 APR and 9 APR) S 183.. Try Lex Herald ( ) Lex Leader ( ) for 2-MAR-1954. |
| Bill Congleton (P) (A) | 1930-31 | - | Lexington, KY | - | 1910 | 9/21/1911 | 3/8/1993 | Fayette | Fayette | Lex H-L p B4 (3/9/1993) has short obit for William E. Contact W.T. Congleton company in Lexington. ( ) Check SSDI index for dob. Check Lex Public search. ( ) Also in kyweb a second person, dod 5/8/1977, yob 1913 (William S). Laudeman claims name is Vernon, check ( ) Check WWII military records ( ) |
| James L. Hughes (P) (A) | 1931-32 | - | Georgetown, KY | - | 1911 | - | 5/7/1980 | - | - | Check Georgetown News & Times S 264 (X - not found checking 5/8, 5/15 and 5/22 editions) |
| Roger Layne (P) (A) | 1950-51 | - | McKamie, AR | - | 1928 | - | 6/16/2005 | - | - | Check Oklahoma City, OK paper Daily Oklahoman & Oklahoma City Times ( ) LOC #1429 or other ( ) - outside library. Ask for lookup ( ) |
| Walter Wesley Morris (P) (A) | 1918-19 | - | Lexington, KY | - | 1899 | 2/1/1899 | 10/1/1984 | - | - | Died sometime October 1984 in Shawnee OK. Find exact date. (outside library, ask for lookup) |
| Wayne Plummer (P) (A) | 1909-10 | - | Newport, KY | - | 1889 | 9/24/1890 | 6/1/1964 | - | - | Middle name is likely Wayne. First initial is W. (probably Willdredd Wayne Plummer, dob Sept. 24, 1890.) SSDI lists June 1964 dod in Dade County. Find exact date. Could check Newport or Campbell County paper for month of June but no holdings for that date in UK Library. Try Cincinnati Enquirer S-653 ( ) LOC # 1402. Will need to ask for lookup. |
| William Lawrence Poyntz (P) (A) | 1922-23 | - | Covington, KY | - | 1901 | 1903 | 9/1/1960 | - | - | Believe died September 1960 in Ohio, but don't know location or exact date. |
| James S. Robertson (P) [James] (A) | 1940-41 | - | Eminence, KY | - | 1920 | - | 6/15/1996 | Wilmore | - | Check Nicholasville paper Jessamine Journal S 195 ( X - not in June 20 or 27th edition) Lexington paper ( ) |
| John A. Stough (P) (A) | 1948-49 | - | Montgomery, AL | - | 1927 | - | 6/16/1998 | - | - | Check Birmingham News ( ) LOC # 0934 or Montgomery Advertiser ( ) LOC # 0937 (outside library) |
| Thomas Butler Tanner (A) | 1909-10 | - | Lexington, KY | - | 1888 | - | 12/13/1965 | - | - | Listed as Tonner in boxscore but most likely Thomas Tanner. Check December 13, 1965 in Chattanooga TN Chattanooga Daily Times ( ) LOC #1478 |
| Lawrence B. Waters (A) | 1904-05 | - | - | - | 1884 | 12/24/1884 | 9/27/1933 | - | - | May be Walters. Catalog lists Lawrence Brown Waters from Middletown. Check LCJ (X checked from Sep 28 to 30, no obits available.) |
| Charles Roy Wright (A) | 1904-05 | - | Lexington, KY | - | 1882 | 4/11/1883 | 11/10/1952 | - | - | Assume is Charles Roy Wright. Check 10-NOV-1952 in San Francisco. San Francisco Chronicle ( ) LOC # Self-Serve; San Francisco Examiner ( ) LOC #0984; Ask for Lookup. ( ) |
Status: Low - These are considered a low probability that the proposed date is accurate. This may be due to multiple possibilities due to a common name, an age which is different than what is estimated, etc.
| Player | Last Season Played | Known Date of Death | Hometown (at School) | Known Date of Birth | Estimated Birth Year | Unconfirmed Birth Year | Unconfirmed Date of Death | Unconfirmed Residence | Unconfirmed Place of Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Davis (P) (A) | 1936-37 | - | Dayton, KY | - | 1915 | - | 12/2/1999 | - | - | Try Madison, Jefferson, Indiana ( ) Dayton KY ( ) KY Post ( ) |
| James Elijah Durham (P) (A) | 1944-45 | - | Anchorage, KY | - | 1925 | - | 6/2/1974 | - | - | Could be living in Nicholasville, or Louisville or Check Lex Herald ( ) Leader ( ) near-Anchorage paper LCJ ( ) 02-JUN-1974. |
| Henry Clay Kimbrough (P) (A) | 1911-12 | - | Lexington, KY | - | 1891 | 9/1/1893 | 8/1/1977 | - | - | Either Henry Clay or Nelson Lee Kimbrough. Most likely Henry who graduated in 1914, as he was hoping to play varsity. Best lead is Henry Kimbrough died August 1977 in Douglas County, CO (Castle Rock). Outside Library. Ask for Lookup. |
| Ed Pierce (A) | 1902-03 | - | - | - | 1882 | - | 1/11/1921 | Garrard | - | No age given at time of death. Low prob. |
| Kenneth Harold Polson (A) | 1926-27 | - | Marion, KY | - | 1906 | - | 9/14/1975 | - | - | May have transferred from Missouri May have moved to Dallas, Texas around 1940. Check Dallas Morning News ( ) LOC # 1494 or Dallas Times Herald ( ) LOC#1908; outside library |
| * Witherspoon (A) | 1920-21 | - | Anderson County, KY | - | 1900 | - | 5/16/1965 | - | - | May be John Allen Witherspoon. Check 16-MAY-1965 in Jefferson County, Louisville LCJ ( ) |
| Charles Worthington (P) (A) | 1931-32 | - | Louisville, KY | - | 1910 | 1914 | 5/18/1997 | Boone | Boone | Not likely given geography and spread. Try Boone County 18-MAY-1997 Boone County Recorder S139 ( ) |
