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, along with FindAGrave. 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) Search newspapers (X - nothing) |
| Bennie C. Coffman (P) (A) | 1959-60 | 2/21/2024 (**) | Huntington, WV | 8/2/1937 | 1937 | NA | NA | - | - | - |
| Robert Davis (P) (A) | 1936-37 | 3/14/1980 (**) | Dayton, KY | 5/5/1914 | 1914 | NA | NA | - | - | Try Dayton KY / Campbell County Recorder S81-075 ( ) KY Post ( ) Cincinnati Papers ( ) |
| Chester Edward Duff (P) (A) | 1944-45 | 5/17/2000 (**) | Darfork, KY | 11/27/1924 | 1924 | NA | NA | Hazard, KY | - | LHL confirms he is former UK player. Per Obituary Search, check Floyd County Times (S-167) 26-MAY-2000 ( ) |
| Roger Harriss Layne (P) (A) | 1950-51 | 6/16/2005 | McKamie, AR | 2/20/1929 | 1929 | NA | NA | - | - | Check Oklahoma City, OK paper Daily Oklahoman LOC #1429 (X - small blurb on Sunday 19-JUN, no paid obit) or other ( ) - outside library. Ask for lookup ( ) |
| 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) |
| Bobby Lee Slusher (P) (A) | 1958-59 | 8/3/2008 | Four Mile, KY | 11/17/1938 | 1938 | NA | NA | - | - | Check Fort Wayne IN Newspaper Fort Wayne News Sentinel MF 1101 ( ) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Goodwin Carr (P) (A) | 1919-20 | 9/16/1974 (**) | Somerset, KY | 9/22/1899 | 1899 | NA | NA | - | - | Believe John G. Carr. Check Somerset paper Somerset Observer S-76-085 ( ) Commonwealth Journal S-577 ( ). Danville Advocate Messenger confirmed he attended Somerset HS and UK. Still want to confirm he was the same who played basketball for UK. |
| Bill Morris Chambers (P) (A) | 1944-45 | 1/10/2017 (**) | Huntington, WV | 10/10/1924 | 1924 | NA | NA | - | - | - |
| George Cooke (P) (A) | 1951-52 | 1/28/1997 (**) | Maysville, KY | 9/20/1932 | 1932 | NA | NA | - | - | Check Ashland Ky paper Check Boyd County library ( ) or Maysville Ky paper Ledger Independent S-716 ( ) |
| 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. |
| Edward Hagan Gough (P) [Edward] (A) | 1937-38 | 8/1/1986 (**) | Lexington, KY | 5/11/1915 | 1915 | NA | NA | - | - | Check WWII military records ( ) Check Palm Beach, FL ( ) |
| William Heizer (P) [William] (A) | 1926-27 | 9/1/1994 (**) | Lexington, KY | 4/29/1908 | 1908 | NA | NA | 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 ( ) or do search of Lexington Herald for other biographical info ( ) |
| James L. Hughes (P) (A) | 1931-32 | 4/6/1980 (**) | Georgetown, KY | - | 1911 | NA | NA | - | - | Check Georgetown News & Times S 264 ( ). Herald has obituary and confirms he is a graduate of UK but want further confirmation. |
| William Carol Jackson (P) [William] (A) | 1938-39 | 10/14/1968 (**) | Anderson, IN | - | 1918 | NA | NA | - | - | - |
| Nelson Lee Kimbrough (P) (A) | 1911-12 | 5/2/1938 (**) | Lexington, KY | 7/7/1891 | 1891 | NA | NA | - | - | Either Henry Clay or Nelson Lee Kimbrough. Most likely Nelson as he was the athlete and Henry was the manager. Henry did not graduate from Lexington High until 1912 it appears, however he seems to have graduated early from UK (1914). |
| Darrell M. Lorance (P) (A) | 1945-46 | 10/20/2013 (**) | Conway, MO | 2/28/1928 | 1928 | NA | NA | - | - | Check East Moline IL paper ( ) for confirmation. (Moline Dispatch has similar obituary to Lebanon (MO) Daily Record. Likely will need to confirm with relative. |
| Junior Marvin Lyons (P) [Junior] (A) | 1927-28 | 9/23/1985 (**) | Ashland, KY | 5/23/1908 | 1908 | NA | NA | - | - | Likely name is Junior Marvin Lyons. Probably last established in Ashland in 1949. Check LHL (X - no mention between 23-SEP and 30-SEP) and Ashland papers ( ). [Note Ashland Daily Independent and any other Ashland papers not available in UK microfilm or in Newspapers.com per OCT 2022.] |
| Charles Hugh Maguire (P) [Charles] (A) | 1931-32 | 11/23/1956 (**) | Williamsburg, KY | 11/8/1910 | 1910 | NA | NA | - | - | Too many McGuires. |
| George Carter Montgomery (P) (A) | 1902-03 | 1/31/1951 (**) | Liberty, KY | 10/11/1882 | 1882 | NA | NA | - | - | May have lived in Chicago. |
| John Edmond Morris (P) (A) | 1932-33 | 12/7/1992 (**) | Lexington, KY | 12/19/1912 | 1912 | NA | NA | - | - | Check Lexington Herald Leader (X - list basic info but no confirmation) |
| William Lawrence Poyntz (P) (A) | 1923-24 | 9/2/1960 (**) | Covington, KY | 7/25/1902 | 1902 | NA | NA | - | - | Died 3-SEP-1960 in Detroit MI but need to confirm right person. Thought to have lived in Cincinnati area, Scarsdale NY and Michigan. Find a grave shows William L Poyntz buried in HIllcrest Memorial Park, Lexington KY 2-SEP-1960 with Date of birth 2-SEP-1960. |
| 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. |
| James Sanford Robertson (P) [James] (A) | 1940-41 | 5/11/1982 (**) | Eminence, KY | 3/7/1922 | 1922 | NA | NA | Wilmore | - | - |
| 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. |
| Lawrence Brown Waters (A) | 1904-05 | - | Middletown, KY | - | 1884 | 12/24/1884 | 9/27/1933 | - | - | May be Walters. Catalog lists Lawrence Brown Waters from Middletown. LCJ has short obit on 29-SEP-1933. Try Middletown KY paper ( ) - not at UK. Closest town is Louisville. |
| John Allen Witherspoon (A) | 1920-21 | 5/16/1965 (**) | Anderson County, KY | 10/31/1901 | 1901 | NA | NA | - | - | May be John Allen Witherspoon. Check 16-MAY-1965 in Jefferson County, Louisville LCJ ( X John A. Witherspoon. Does not confirm anything.) |
| Charles Roy Wright (A) | 1904-05 | 11/10/1952 (**) | Stanford, KY | 4/11/1883 | 1883 | NA | NA | - | - | Assume is Charles Roy Wright. Check 10-NOV-1952 in San Francisco. San Francisco Chronicle (X) LOC # Self-Serve; San Francisco Examiner ( ) LOC #0984; Ask for Lookup. ( ). Check Lexington Herald (X - searched 10-20 NOV 1952) Leader (X) Stanford KY ( ) Lincoln County News S-271 ( ) Interior Journal S-190 (1952 not in UK microfilm holdings) |
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. Confirmed dod is 18-JUN-1978 and dob is 17-AUG-1890. Check outside library ( ) Greenwich CT (X). Also check Lexington Herald (X searched 19-30 JUN 1978) and Leader (X ), Bedford, Westchester NY ( ) |
| 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. |
| Herbert E. Jerome (P) (A) | 1933-34 | 5/12/1992 (**) | Tulsa, OK | 9/26/1910 | 1910 | NA | NA | - | - | 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 | 12/4/1999 | Middletown, OH | 2/7/1928 | 1928 | NA | NA | - | - | Looked in Middletown OH Journal (X). Check Santa Monica / LA California papers ( ) ( ) |
| Robert Edward Lavin (P) [Robert] (A) | 1921-22 | - | Paris, KY | 8/31/1900 | 1900 | - | 11/5/1972 | - | - | SSDI lists dod as Nov. 1972 in Brooklyn, Kings County, NY. Check New York paper ? ( ) NJ Death Index lists a Robert E. Lavin who died 5-NOV-1972 in Glen Ridge, NJ. (suburb of Newark) Paris KY paper Citizen Advisor (weekly) S686 (X - checked all of November and 1st week of December, not there.) Searched Lex Herald archives for Lavin between 1-NOV-1972 to 30-NOV-1972. No hits. Searched Newspapers.com on 22-OCT-2022 over month of November and into December, no hits. |
| Richard Orville Richards (P) [Richard] (A) | 1930-31 | 11/13/1996 | Denver, CO | 11/17/1907 | 1907 | NA | NA | - | - | Is said to have died in California in 1996. Can't locate obituary however. |
| Lucian Cary Whitaker (P) (A) | 1951-52 | - | Sarasota, FL | 8/29/1930 | 1930 | - | 8/1/1990 | - | - | Believe may have died sometime in August 1990 in Greater London England area. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Congleton (P) (A) | 1930-31 | - | Lexington, KY | - | 1910 | 9/21/1911 | 3/8/1993 | Fayette | Fayette | Check Richmond paper for bigger obituary for Edward Park Congleton. LCJ has a short obit on 18-MAR-1999. Laudeman claims name is Vernon, check ( ) Check WWII military records ( ) |
| Kenneth Harold Polson (A) | 1926-27 | - | Marion, KY | - | 1906 | 9/2/1906 | 9/14/1975 | - | - | May have transferred from Missouri May have moved to Dallas, Texas around 1940. Check Dallas Morning News ( X - nothing 15-18) LOC # 1494 or Dallas Times Herald (X - Nothing first two weeks checked by Dallas Library) LOC#1908; outside library |
| Samuel Woodrow Zeman (P) [Samuel] (A) | 1945-46 | - | Pittsburgh, PA | - | 1926 | 4/30/1927 | 12/12/2003 | - | - | - |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ed Pierce (A) | 1902-03 | - | - | - | 1882 | - | 1/11/1921 | Garrard | - | No age given at time of death. Low prob. |
