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314:(also a former Kentucky player). Many other former Kentucky basketball players attended as well, including former Louisville Cardinal player Ellis Myles. The Wildcats did not hire a new equipment manager for the 2009 season and in fact left his chair on the bench empty for the season. As an additional tribute, the first "K" in "KENTUCKY" on the players jerseys for the 2009 season was black outlined.
243:
where his seat was. His daughter Karen and his fellow equipment manager assistants pulled off a piece of the basketball court as a memorial to remember him by. During that season, the "K" (in KENTUCKY) on the front of the player's jerseys was done in black as a
225:
In 2002, the university presented the first Bill
Keightley Award. The award is given to "the individual who understands and exemplifies the pride, respect and the positive attributes associated with being a part of the Kentucky basketball
211:
are the only two people who did not play for or coach the
Wildcats that have received such an honor. For the 2009 season, the jersey was given the number #48 to reflect his 48 years of service (previously it simply read "UK" for the
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294:. The cause of death was internal bleeding caused by a previously undiagnosed tumor on his spine. His memorial service was attended by many prominent basketball coaches, including
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Keightley was working as a postal carrier in 1962 when fellow postal employee George Hukle asked him to become his assistant at his other job—equipment manager for the
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basketball team. Keightley accepted the position; ten years later, he succeeded Hukle as equipment manager. He held the post during the tenures of coaches
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Helms and Premo-Porretta national championships in bold; NCAA Final Four appearances in italics; NCAA championships in bolded italics
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Keightley was married to Hazel (Robinson) Keightley. The couple had one daughter, Karen, who formerly worked at the university's
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261:, Kentucky's men's basketball team scheduled a series of home games called the Keightley Classic in Keightley's honor.
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In 2005, he was honored with the
Lifetime Achievement Award at the university's annual "Catspy" awards.
204:) with the Wildcats. He wore one championship ring on each hand and kept the third ring in his pocket.
134:
117:
Known affectionately to most as "Mr. Wildcat," players referred to him as "Mr. Bill" or "Big Smooth."
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Keightley died on March 31, 2008, after suffering a fall from a bus on his way to the season opening
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center, and is now employed with the athletic department. Keightley was an avid fan of the
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at the
University of Kentucky Libraries between 2005 and 2007 and can be accessed online:
8:
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812:
713:
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Crawford, Bryan (2007-04-06). "The time is right. The man is ready. Coach
Keightley!".
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In 1997, the university retired a jersey in honor of
Keightley. He and broadcaster
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On May 2, 2007, Keightley was inducted into the
Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame.
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Several oral history interviews with
Keightley were conducted by the
455:
Story, Mark (2007-05-01). "Keightley has own fan base, deservedly".
418:"Secretariat, Tim Couch & Kenny Walker To Kentucky Athletic HOF"
16:
American basketball equipment manager for the
University of Kentucky
624:
567:"Kentucky lays out strong, attractive non-conference schedule"
215:
In 2001, Keightley was featured on special edition bottles of
1626:
United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II
437:"Men's Basketball Equipment Manager Bill Keightley"
106:(December 17, 1926 – March 31, 2008) was the
382:. University of Kentucky. May 2005. Archived from
239:, Keightley was honored at the home bench of the
1607:
192:Keightley was on three NCAA Championship teams (
610:
133:. He graduated in 1944. He enlisted with the
377:"Division of Athletic Training, Alumni News"
112:University of Kentucky men's basketball team
617:
603:
546:Division of Athletic Training, Alumni News
480:
478:
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253:William B. Keightley Oral History Project
129:for now-defunct Kavanaugh High School in
531:
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420:. HallofFameMagazine.com. Archived from
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95:University of Kentucky men's basketball
1608:
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1636:Sportspeople from Lexington, Kentucky
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249:Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History
184:A jersey honoring Keightley hangs in
522:
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641:State College Gymnasium (1903–1914)
13:
1641:Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
1631:People from Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
644:Buell Armory Gymnasium (1910–1924)
627:Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
549:
508:
114:, a position he held for 48 years.
14:
1652:
439:. UKAthletics.com. Archived from
330:. UKAthletics.com. Archived from
362:"'Mr. Bill' still well-equipped"
756:The Season Without Celebration
558:
1:
565:Tipton, Jerry (May 1, 2013).
493:Crawford, "The time is right"
360:Crawford, Eric (2007-12-23).
317:
235:On October 11, 2008, during
7:
401:Faris, Steve (2002-11-21).
325:"2001-02 Kentucky Wildcats"
125:Keightley was an All-State
10:
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135:United States Marine Corps
1596:
903:
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731:History under Adolph Rupp
723:
675:
634:
537:2001-02 Kentucky Wildcats
290:baseball game versus the
265:
89:
81:
71:
53:
28:
21:
819:The Rivalry: Red v. Blue
466:
281:
572:Lexington Herald-Leader
458:Lexington Herald-Leader
555:HallofFameMagazine.com
528:Faris, "How Dry Am I?"
519:Bio at UKAthletics.com
188:
146:University of Kentucky
131:Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
104:William Bond Keightley
93:Equipment manager for
47:Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
33:William Bond Keightley
793:Pursuit of Perfection
741:Point-shaving scandal
183:
121:Early life and career
484:Crawford, "Mr. Bill"
292:Arizona Diamondbacks
895:Statistical leaders
352:The Courier-Journal
813:CBS Sports Classic
724:Culture & lore
272:veterinary science
189:
1603:
1602:
859:Blue blood status
808:Champions Classic
798:2011 Indiana game
654:Memorial Coliseum
505:Story, "Fan Club"
176:Honors and awards
108:equipment manager
101:
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43:December 17, 1926
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666:Joe Craft Center
648:Alumni Gymnasium
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575:. Archived from
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237:Midnight Madness
137:, and served in
82:Other names
65:Cincinnati, Ohio
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915:List of seasons
905:
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854:Big Blue Nation
783:John Wall Dance
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403:"How Dry Am I?"
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296:Billy Gillispie
288:Cincinnati Reds
284:
276:Cincinnati Reds
268:
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170:Billy Gillispie
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848:Kentucky Fight
844:
841:On, On, U of K
837:
832:
827:
822:
815:
810:
805:
800:
795:
790:
785:
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768:Unforgettables
765:
758:
753:
748:
743:
738:
733:
727:
725:
721:
720:
718:
717:
711:
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704:North Carolina
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662:(1976–present)
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579:on May 3, 2013
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364:. The Enquirer
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308:Rick Stansbury
283:
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259:2013–14 season
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209:Cawood Ledford
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61:(aged 81)
57:March 31, 2008
55:
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26:
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23:Bill Keightley
22:
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811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
796:
794:
791:
789:
786:
784:
781:
779:
778:Comeback Cats
776:
774:
771:
769:
766:
763:
759:
757:
754:
752:
749:
747:
746:Fiddlin' Five
744:
742:
739:
737:
736:Fabulous Five
734:
732:
729:
728:
726:
722:
715:
712:
710:
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629:
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516:
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512:
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500:
490:
481:
479:
477:
472:
460:
459:
453:
443:on 2007-08-20
442:
438:
434:
424:on 2007-08-02
423:
419:
415:
404:
399:
389:on 2008-05-28
385:
378:
374:
363:
358:
354:
353:
347:
337:on 2008-05-28
333:
326:
322:
321:
315:
313:
312:John Pelphrey
309:
305:
304:Billy Donovan
301:
297:
293:
289:
279:
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273:
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105:
96:
92:
90:Occupation(s)
88:
85:"Mr. Wildcat"
84:
80:
77:
74:
70:
66:
56:
52:
48:
31:
27:
20:
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1358:
1325:
1324:
1307:
1260:
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1216:
1194:
1176:
1175:
1162:
1161:
1153:
1152:
1145:
1118:
1076:
1069:
885:NBA draftees
875:Head coaches
817:
773:Untouchables
751:Rupp's Runts
716:(historical)
714:Transylvania
685:(historical)
581:. Retrieved
577:the original
570:
560:
551:
542:
533:
524:
489:
456:
445:. Retrieved
441:the original
426:. Retrieved
422:the original
407:. Retrieved
405:. Ace Weekly
391:. Retrieved
384:the original
366:. Retrieved
350:
339:. Retrieved
332:the original
285:
269:
217:Maker's Mark
158:Eddie Sutton
143:
139:World War II
124:
103:
102:
59:(2008-03-31)
1621:2008 deaths
1616:1926 births
825:The Wildcat
656:(1950–1976)
650:(1924–1950)
300:Rick Pitino
166:Tubby Smith
162:Rick Pitino
154:Joe B. Hall
150:Adolph Rupp
97:, 1972–2008
72:Nationality
1610:Categories
803:Basketbowl
788:Tweakables
699:Louisville
668:(practice)
660:Rupp Arena
447:2008-02-08
428:2008-02-08
409:2008-02-08
393:2008-02-08
368:2008-02-08
341:2008-02-08
318:References
186:Rupp Arena
39:1926-12-17
1453:1999–2000
709:Tennessee
676:Rivalries
226:program."
880:Honorees
762:The Shot
244:tribute.
241:Wildcats
110:for the
76:American
1588:2024–25
1583:2023–24
1578:2022–23
1573:2021–22
1568:2020–21
1563:2019–20
1558:2018–19
1553:2017–18
1548:2016–17
1543:2015–16
1537:2014–15
1530:2013–14
1524:2012–13
1517:2011–12
1509:2010–11
1503:2009–10
1498:2008–09
1493:2007–08
1488:2006–07
1483:2005–06
1478:2004–05
1473:2003–04
1468:2002–03
1463:2001–02
1458:2000–01
1448:1998–99
1441:1997–98
1433:1996–97
1425:1995–96
1418:1994–95
1413:1993–94
1407:1992–93
1401:1991–92
1396:1990–91
1391:1989–90
1386:1988–89
1381:1987–88
1376:1986–87
1371:1985–86
1366:1984–85
1360:1983–84
1354:1982–83
1349:1981–82
1344:1980–81
1339:1979–80
1334:1978–79
1327:1977–78
1320:1976–77
1315:1975–76
1309:1974–75
1303:1973–74
1298:1972–73
1293:1971–72
1288:1970–71
1283:1969–70
1278:1968–69
1273:1967–68
1268:1966–67
1262:1965–66
1256:1964–65
1251:1963–64
1246:1962–63
1241:1961–62
1236:1960–61
1231:1959–60
1226:1958–59
1219:1957–58
1212:1956–57
1207:1955–56
1202:1954–55
1196:1953–54
1190:1952–53
1185:1951–52
1178:1950–51
1171:1949–50
1164:1948–49
1155:1947–48
1147:1946–47
1141:1945–46
1136:1944–45
1131:1943–44
1126:1942–43
1120:1941–42
1114:1940–41
1109:1939–40
1104:1938–39
1099:1937–38
1094:1936–37
1089:1935–36
1084:1934–35
1078:1933–34
1071:1932–33
1065:1931–32
1060:1930–31
1055:1929–30
1050:1928–29
1045:1927–28
1040:1926–27
1035:1925–26
1030:1924–25
1025:1923–24
1020:1922–23
1015:1921–22
1010:1920–21
1005:1919–20
1000:1918–19
995:1917–18
990:1916–17
985:1915–16
980:1914–15
975:1913–14
970:1912–13
965:1911–12
960:1910–11
955:1909–10
950:1908–09
945:1907–08
940:1906–07
935:1905–06
930:1904–05
925:1903–04
920:1902–03
906:Seasons
890:Players
830:Scratch
694:Indiana
689:Florida
257:In the
220:bourbon
212:number)
868:People
683:Centre
635:Venues
583:May 2,
310:, and
266:Family
168:, and
127:center
467:Notes
387:(PDF)
380:(PDF)
335:(PDF)
328:(PDF)
282:Death
835:Blue
585:2013
202:1998
198:1996
194:1978
54:Died
29:Born
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510:^
498:^
475:^
306:,
302:,
298:,
278:.
200:,
196:,
172:.
164:,
160:,
156:,
152:,
141:.
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846:"
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839:"
764:"
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618:e
611:t
604:v
587:.
461:.
450:.
431:.
412:.
396:.
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355:.
344:.
222:.
41:)
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