In Memory of George Blanda

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George Blanda passed away on Monday at the age of 83. Blanda, who played from 1945-1948, helped the University of Kentucky win the school's first bowl game, the 1947 Great Lakes Bowl. He went on to play 26 seasons in the National Football League, the longest career in the league's history.

A framed image of George Blanda is also part of a current exhibition on UK football being presented by UK Libraries. The exhibition, which includes several images of legendary UK athletes like Blanda, early team pictures, and a 1900s football, is on display through the fall semester in the foyer of the M.I. King Building.

Lexington, KY: Director of Archives, University of Kentucky Libraries

Lexington, KY: Director of Archives, University of Kentucky Libraries

Adrian "Odie" Smith

Former UK men's basketball standout, and member of Adolph Rupp's 1958 Fiddlin' Five National Championship team, Adrian “Odie” Smith was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 1960 gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic basketball team. The 1960 team was one of two teams and eight individuals honored at this years induction ceremony.

Smith is a native of Farmington, Ky and played two years at a junior college before receiving a scholarship to play at UK. Smith averaged 10.1 ppg in two years at UK. After college Smith joined the Army and played for two Army All-Star teams. While in the Army, Smith won gold medals for the U.S. in the 1959 Pan-American Games in Chicago and the 1960 Rome Olympics.

After his stint in the army Smith played ten years in the NBA with the Cincinnati Royals and the San Francisco Warriors. He was MVP of the 1966 NBA All-Star Game held in Cincinnati, playing with and against players including Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Rick Barry to win the honors. Photograph digital id [KUKAV-1997AV27-3570].

A Look Back at Fayette County Public Education

Barker and Faulconer Fayette County Public Education photographs, 1869-1941

Brecktown school; Miss Mary Graves, teacher.

Diary of Robert Todd, 1784

Although the documentation with these materials state that the author of this diary was the father of Mary Todd, Robert Smith Todd was not born until 1791. With that in mind it seems likely that this is the diary of Brigadier General Robert Todd who was born April 19, 1754 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He came to Kentucky in 1776 and was known as an 18th century American pioneer, politician and soldier. Robert Todd is credited as being one of the founders of Lexington, Kentucky. His brothers were John and Levi Todd who also settled in Lexington. If my poor genealogy is correct, Robert Todd would be the Great Uncle of Mary Todd.

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On Friday June 18th Todd wrote, "Started and continued down said branch of Big Barran which I suppose to be the principal. Killed large buffalo. Turned into raining. Encamped and barbecued some of the meat. This part of the country is well watered with excellent springs - traveled about four miles." So goes part of the diary kept by Robert Todd of his expedition for settling lands.

In Memory of Melvin Turpin

Our thoughts go out to the family and fans of Melvin Turpin.

From Combat to Kentucky: Oral History Interviews with Kentucky’s Student Veterans

From Combat to Kentucky: Oral History Interviews with Kentucky's Student Veterans
A re-post from the Saving Stories blog about the Nunn Center's project to document the experiences of Kentucky's student veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. From Combat to Kentucky is not only interviewing the students but adding their photographs from Iraq and Afghanistan to the University of Kentucky Archives as well.