It was one of those glorious early days of spring that celebrate the Birthday of the World.
Warm, not hot. (Obviously before the Heat Dome/ Doom descended.)
Crystalline azure sky.
The trees along the tracks and Frankfort Avenue turning new green.
The kind of day when I drive by Blue Dog Bakery, my mind, ignoring an expanding waistline, implores “You sure you don’t want a croissant, or a small five grain loaf, or maybe one of those killer chocolate bouchons?”
Of course.
Lured by an available parking spot just ahead, my Subaru pulls over as if on its own.
There, sitting outside, staring off into the middle distance, luxuriating in the early afternoon, the table a splay of brunch delectables, former Cardinal guard Fred Holden, the set up guy during the Wes Unseld years.
An old pal, I greet him, and advise, “Hey I’m crafting a series to run during the summer. Ten years ago they tore down Crawford Gym . . . ”
Out of character the normally reticent Holden interrupts, blurting out, “I’ve got a story about Crawford.”
“Great, let me get my treat, and I’ll join you.”
When I return and sit, I start, “So yeah I’ve talked to a couple of guys about Crawford . . . ”
Again he interjects, “I’ve got a story.
“Nobody asked me the day of that ceremony. I tried to tell Bob Domine, but he just wanted to talk with Grif.
“I made the first basket in Crawford Gym.”
“Alright,” says I, “bring it. That’s great stuff.”
“Crawford opened my freshman year. 1964.
“The freshmen would practice before the varsity. Around noon. I was always the earliest one to arrive, starting the first day of practice.
“I made the first basket at Cardinal Gym.”
By a Cardinal? On an official practice day?
Who knows?
Mythos is mythos.
Let it be said, let it carved in stone for posterity.
Consider it proclaimed.
Fred Holden is the first Cardinal to fill the hoop in Crawford Gym.
* * * * *
Like the other former Cardinals I’ve chatted up for this series, Fred’s memories immediately flow to those sweaty summer nights of pick up games.
Among the non-Cards who showed up, Holden mentioned a bunch of Kentucky Colonels, including Goose Ligon, always my favorite.
And Waggener Wildcat star Paul Long, who played in college at Wake Forest and Virginia Tech.
And the duo of Ron KIng and Otto Petty, who led Central HS to its first state title, and later drove Florida State all the way to the NCAA title tilt where they fell to UCLA. Making a real game of it, losing by only five, 81-76.
He might have had more. But I had to scoot. Plus he’d shared a great nuggetoid of info.
So I left, carrying my delectables and a new bit of U of L anecdotia, leaving former PG Fred Holden to his sourdough and serenity.
— c d kaplan
Thanks for sharing this nugget. Fred is a good man, I enjoy visiting with him at the farmers market or some local music shows.
Mid-70’s (or earlier)Fred, Chuck, & I drove to Dayton to watch the Cards vs the Flyers. Fred & Chuck had press passes & I sat on the floor with my Dad’s camera, faking like I was a photographer. I can’t remember who won the game.
When I first went to U. of L. in 1964, I’d park in front of Crawford Gym for my 8 am English class. Fred, Chuck, & I were in the same Biology class.
These mentions are the truth & I stick by my comments.
What I also remember about that night is driving home, and getting back in time to catch the last set of whomever was playing at Mason Jar.
Unless or until there is some mention or reference to hallucinogens I’m going to choose to believe this story is fake news. 😆
Out of respect, I avoided any mention of our state of mind, on that evening in the early 70s, after Fred got back from ‘Nam and he and I and my pal Dood drove to Dayton to watch the Cards.
January, 1972, a couple of my fraternity brothers and I drove up to Dayton in my VW Beetle for a game against the Flyers. One of the guys was a photographer for “The Cardinal”. I had bought tickets through the U of L ticket office. When we got to the arena, we split up so the photographer could go to the floor to shoot pics, while the other guy and I went to our seats. They were WAY up in the nosebleed section of the arena. At halftime, we met up with the photographer and he said nobody checked his credentials and that we could probably watch the second half on the floor. So. we did. We sat down in front of a press table across from the U of L bench. It’s a completely different game from that perspective.
That was when Dayton had a synthetic surface on their court. Tartan, maybe? It was also Coach Crum’s first season at U of L, with Jim Price, Henry Bacon, Al Vilcheck, Ron Thomas and Mike Lawhon among the notables. The Cards won 71-64, according to an old media guide I have.
I was a minor at the time, so there were no trips downtown to any clubs when we returned.
As the Kentucky Colonel starting lineups were announced , I recall Goose Ligon being introduced “and from Kokomo Indiana………, Goose Ligon.” He might have spent his college days in “detention.”
Ron King can be found nowadays at Camp Taylor on Tuesdays and Thursdays umpiring senior softball. Knee issues no longer allow him to play.