DID YOU KNOW by Ron Bailey

                   Did you know?

  I know the windshield is bigger than the rear-view mirror, but I still like to look back every now and then. We have been blessed with our success in sports in our area, but some little events have escaped our memories over time. I like to list some facts that maybe you did not know, or time has eroded our recollections of people who has helped shape our past. 

    Ronnie Lyons was selected by the New York Mets in the 1970 Major League baseball draft, but as we all know he chose to play basketball for the UK Wildcats. Another little tidbit, was that the KHSAA ruled Ronnie ineligible to play baseball his senior year for the Royals because of a basketball All-Star game he played in.

     Allen Feldhaus was not only a great player on the hardwood for the Big Blue, but also, he excelled on the diamond for the Wildcats. He was so talented on the diamond that he played in the Washington Senators farm system for a few years.

    Sandy Byron, who was a graduate of Saint Patrick High, won the prestigious Women’s Kentucky State Amateur championship in 1986.

     Ben Marsh who was a Maysville High graduate was the first player from our area to play basketball for the UK Wildcats. Ben is known for another reason as his brother John Marsh who was an MHS grad was married to Margaret Mitchell who penned the iconic novel ” Gone with the Wind”. 

     The classic 1976 baseball movie, “The Bad News Bears” featured Tatum O’Neal who just a few years before filming the classic was a student at Jones Elementary in Maysville. She also was awarded an Oscar for her role in the movie, “Paper Moon”.

  Gerry Calvert was an outstanding basketball star for the Bulldogs and then became a star for the UK Wildcats under Adolph Rupp. The Baron and Gerry Calvert became great friends after his playing days for the Cats. Gerry was one of Coach Rupp’s pallbearers at his funeral.

   Arthur Pickens who is a member of the National Jockey Hall of Fame, won the Kentucky Derby aboard Stone Street in 1908. When Arthur retired, he lived here in Maysville with his wife. He passed away in 1944 and is buried in the Maysville Cemetery.

    Don Hurst who was born in Maysville, had some great seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1928 to 1932. The Maysville native had a monster season in 1932 when he batted .339 with 24 home runs and led the National League with 143 runs batted in.

   Walter Hafer the pro boxer from Maysville fought the champion, Ezzard Charles in 1948 as the bout was held in Cincinnati.

     This is just a little list of tidbits about our rich sports history and I hope I can share more with you in future columns.