Bill Smith, 87, former Kentucky basketball player, tragically lost his life on July 19, 2023, at the Hospice of South Central Indiana School.
Bill Smith has passed away
Bill Smith, a former Kentucky basketball player, died at the age of 87 at Hospice of South Central Indiana, it was announced on Wednesday, July 19. Born on February 17, 1936 in Walton, Kentucky, he played for Walton-Verona High School before joining the Kentucky Wildcats for four seasons until 1958.
Although he played a limited role during his time on the varsity and never secured a spot in the starting lineup, coach Adolph Rupp recognized his valuable contributions to the team’s success in a letter of recommendation.
Smith was part of the 1957-58 UK national championship team nicknamed the “Fiddlin’ Five,” which featured 11 of 12 players from Kentucky and an 84-72 victory over Seattle to secure its fourth title.
Despite averaging 1.4 points per game throughout his career, Smith’s passion for the sport and dedication to hard work made his college years at Kentucky the best of his life, as he once said in a 2016 interview.
After his time in Kentucky, Bill Smith became a teacher and high school basketball coach for 11 years before working in customer service for Owen County Rural Electric for 28 years until his retirement in 1998.
He remained a lifelong Wildcats fan, holding season tickets to their basketball games, and enjoyed fishing in his spare time. Left behind by his wife Shirley, three children, 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, Smith’s accomplishments and contributions to the Kentucky basketball program will always be remembered and appreciated.
Who was Bill Smith?
Bill Smith was a former basketball player who played for the University of Kentucky during the late 1950s. Born on February 17, 1936 in Walton, Kentucky, he honed his basketball skills at Walton-Verona High School before joining the Kentucky Wildcats for four seasons until 1958.
Although he did not feature prominently in the team’s starting lineup, his dedication and commitment to the program earned praise from coach Adolph Rupp, who acknowledged Smith’s valuable contributions to the team’s overall success.
Namely, he was part of the famous “Fiddlin’ Five,” the 1957-58 British National Championship team that included 11 players from Kentucky and secured its fourth title with an 84-72 victory over Seattle.
Despite his limited scoring during his college career, Smith cherished his time at the University of Kentucky, calling it the best four years of his life. After his basketball journey, Bill Smith pursued a career as a teacher and high school basketball coach for 11 years.
He later moved to a customer service position at Owen County Rural Electric, where he worked for 28 years until his retirement in 1998. Throughout his life, Smith remained a devoted Wildcats fan, holding a season ticket to their basketball games, and enjoying fishing in his spare time.
His legacy to the Kentucky basketball program will always be remembered and he is survived by his wife Shirley, three children, 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Is Bill Smith dead or alive?
Bill Smith, former Kentucky basketball player, has died at the age of 87. He died at Our Hospice of South Central Indiana Inpatient Facility. The school announced his death on Wednesday.
Born on February 17, 1936 in Walton, Kentucky, Smith had a successful basketball career at Walton-Verona High School before joining the Kentucky Wildcats and playing four seasons until 1958.
Despite playing a limited role during his time on the varsity and never being a starter, Smith’s dedication and contribution to the team’s success was recognized by coach Adolph Rupp in a letter of recommendation.
Throughout his life, he remained a devoted Wildcats fan, owning a season ticket to their basketball games and finding joy in fishing in his spare time. Smith is survived by his wife of 66 years, Shirley, three children, 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
What happened to Bill Smith?
Bill Smith, former Kentucky basketball player, died at the age of 87 at Our Hospice of South Central Indiana. The announcement was made by the school on Wednesday. Born on February 17, 1936 in Walton, Kentucky, Smith had a successful basketball career that began at Walton-Verona High School.
He then played four seasons with the Kentucky Wildcats, from 1954 to 1958. During his college career, he was part of the famed “Fiddlin’ Five,” UK’s 1957-58 national championship team, which scored an 84-72 victory over Seattle. under the guidance of coach Adolph Rupp.
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Notably, most of the players on this championship winning team were from Kentucky. Although Smith played a limited role during his time at the University of Kentucky and was never a starter, his dedication and loyalty to the program was highly praised by Coach Rupp in his letter of recommendation.
Rupp acknowledged Smith’s valuable contributions to the team’s success and even expressed temptation to keep him after graduation to help with the team because of his good attitude and dedication. Smith averaged 1.4 points per game throughout his career, with a career-high 10 points in a game against Georgia during his sophomore season.
He valued his time at university, considering it the best four years of his life and a lesson in the value of hard work leading to success. After his college basketball journey, Bill Smith was later inducted into the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame.
He had a career as a teacher and high school basketball coach for 11 years before working in customer service for Owen County Rural Electric for 28 years until his retirement in 1998.
Throughout his life, Smith remained a devoted Wildcats fan, owning a season ticket to their basketball games and enjoying fishing in his spare time. He left behind a legacy of accomplishments and will always be remembered for his significant impact on the Kentucky basketball program.
Bill Smith is survived by his wife of 66 years, Shirley, three children, 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. According to the online obituary, no service is currently planned.
How did former Kentucky basketball player Bill Smith die?
There is no information on the exact cause of death of former Kentucky basketball player Bill Smith. It just says he died at the age of 87 at Our Hospice of South Central Indiana, the school announced Wednesday.
The information provided did not provide any further details about the circumstances or cause of his death. Therefore, without additional information beyond that previously given, it is not possible to determine how Bill Smith died.
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Categories: General
Source: HIS Education