Cawood's call post 1992

[UK fan 1989]

What would Cawood's final calls be if he was still announcing? From 1996, '98, 2012 title games to Harrison shots.

[South jones]

Don't know what his call would be now, but I remember his intro from back.in the 50s and 60s

"Hello everybody this is cawood Ledford coming to you tonight from Memorial collesium on the campus of the university of kentucky.in Lexington as.the mighty Kentucky wildcats get set.to take on the Tennessee volunteers."
it was pure magic and inspiring when he came on the air.
some of you older posters may remember

CAWOOD was the greatest and it's not even close.

[40bill]

Cawood was the guy you listened to on the transistor radio. He was the guy you would turn the TV sound off so you could listen to his call. The radio guy that Joe. B Hall told first he was retiring and told the TV crews they had to wait.

For a lot of us in our 60s or later we can say there were some good radio guys...but Cawood is one we always remember.

[Cat9Lives]

Cawood was the greatest. I will say I’ve enjoyed almost all of our radio announcers. Maybe it’s just because they are the voice of one of the greatest loves in my life - Kentucky Basketball. However, I can’t say there’s been one that I particularly disliked.

[Catgrad7072]

From the National Sports Media Association site:

Amidst a golden age of college broadcasters throughout the South, no voice was more distinctive than that of Cawood Ledford, the longtime radio broadcaster for the University of Kentucky's basketball and football teams and a familiar voice for the Kentucky Derby.

Ledford, who died on Sept. 7, 2001, in Harlan, Kentucky, at the age of 75 after a bout with cancer, called Kentucky football and basketball for nearly four decades. To generations of Kentucky Wildcat fans, he was Big Blue football and basketball. He worked 17 NCAA Final Fours, including Kentucky's national championship seasons in 1958 and 1978.

Inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987, Ledford is one of only a handful of non-players to have a jersey hanging from the rafters at Rupp Arena.

In addition to his college play-by-play duties, he became a nationally renowned horse racing broadcaster, frequently calling the Kentucky Derby for CBS Radio.

The son of a coal miner, Ledford grew up in Harlan, Kentucky, and served in the Marines during World War II. He earned a degree from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, and taught high school English. He began calling Kentucky football and basketball games in 1953 and retired in 1992.

[Pobilly]

I even listened to a few Westwood One (NCAA radio broadcasts) that Cawood would call. Even non UK games. He was one of the best to ever talking into a can live.

[Catsrock]

I’m old enough. I remember his voice just making you feel like “let’s go! Let’s get it! It’s game day!” He was awesome.

Loosely related—I watch most of UK’s baseball season. On SECN+ each team has its own broadcasters—not employed by the team, but just the ESPN crew lined up to do the games at each stadium. I haven’t heard a better crew at any college venue than Dick Gabriel and Doug Flynn at UK.

[Pobilly]

I’m old enough. I remember his voice just making you feel like “let’s go! Let’s get it! It’s game day!” He was awesome.

Loosely related—I watch most of UK’s baseball season. On SECN+ each team has its own broadcasters—not employed by the team, but just the ESPN crew lined up to do the games at each stadium. I haven’t heard a better crew at any college venue than Dick Gabriel and Doug Flynn at UK.

Agree. I love to watch UK baseball games. Coach M, plays aggressive. His big problem is pulling pitchers. He tends to leave guys too long and we get beat in a walk off. I wear my 2024 CWS shirt all the time. Heck I wear it more than my UK football shirts.

[BluegrassBoy03]

Never had the privilege of hearing Cawood call a game, I was too young, but I love hearing about him. It's fascinating to know that so many grew up hearing his voice on game day. What a legend.

[Catsrock]

Agree. I love to watch UK baseball games. Coach M, plays aggressive. His big problem is pulling pitchers. He tends to leave guys too long and we get beat in a walk off. I wear my 2024 CWS shirt all the time. Heck I wear it more than my UK football shirts.

The smallball/use of the bunt/aggressive on the base paths is a blast to watch! I’m hoping he’s lined up enough pitchers for next year he’ll feel more confident in going to the bullpen.

[Catsrock]

Sorry 1989–I should have put baseball stuff in the baseball threads.

Cawood ruled!!

[CB3UK]

I'm fortunate enough to be just barely old enough to have heard Cawood on the radio here in Lexington before he retired. He was true greatness and a consumate Southern gentleman.

[Clevenger32]

"And to take us through halftime" (while I go out and smoke a couple of cigarettes)" here's Jack Cook."

[Fitchslapped]

Started my UK journey by listening to Cawood with Dad. Moved to Texas right before Sutton got the Cats kicked off TV. Sat parked on a hill listening to Cawood on AM again. Cop pulled up one night wanting to know why I was sitting in the same spot for so long. Turned up the volume so he could hear the game (had on a UK cap) and he drove off shaking his head.

Miss my dad and Cawood.

[Joneslab]

I met Cawood once. He came to a Centre College homecoming game when I was a student there. It was raining, I remember, and I saw him sitting up there in the bleachers...weirdly alone. I went up and told him how much I loved listening to him during the Shame era. He thanked me and that was it. But I remember him sitting up there with an umbrella, solitary, watching a Division III football game that was pretty meaningless.

That memory is emblazoned in my mind 20-something years later. Something about that black umbrella, him sitting there with almost nobody around him...a profound moment.