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TODAY IN KENTUCKY HISTORY

Kentucky Trivia ● Kentucky Tweets

On March 28, 1775, Virginia’s governor issued a proclamation to arrest Richard Henderson and his Transylvania associates while emphasizing the danger of Henderson’s enterprise if not stopped.

On March 28, 1775, the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for the Southern District wrote Lord Dartmouth and stated the importance of stopping Henderson’s enterprise.

March 28, 1777, Shawnee Chief Blackfish attacked Fort Boonesborough again, killing two men.  Blackfish kept his forces around the fort to harass the settlers until at least May 6.

March 28, 1795, one of the last recorded skirmishes between Native Americans and colonists in Kentucky occurred at the salt works and Cherokee burial grounds on Goose Creek in Clay County.

March 28, 1861, Cassius M. Clay declined the appointment by President Lincoln as Minister to Spain; however, Lincoln persuaded him to accept the post as Minister to Russia.

March 28, 1871, the 1st execution in Louisville in three years, occurred when Thomas Smith (colored) hanged in front of 7,000 people for killing a white male.  He prayed incoherently and begged for a little more time before he died.  The body stayed in view for 20 minutes.

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Lexington native Mary LeGrand Didlake, born in 1878.  UK’s 1st female valedictorian in 1895, she worked in the Department of Entomology from 1891 until her retirement in 1957.

On March 28, 1928, Charles Lindbergh landed in the original Lexington airport near the Meadowthorpe neighborhood.  When the public discovered the secret that he had visited a friend, 3,000 people showed up to watch him take off the next day.

March 28, 1934, Lexington native Marion Miley came close but lost the Augusta Invitational Golf Tournament in Georgia while 2,000 fans followed the players.

March 28, 1949, Woodvale Farm’s lightly regarded Halt came from far back to nip Johns Joy at the wire to win the $20,000-added Blue Grass Stakes.  Halt, trained by Kentuckian Woody Stephens, placed 5th in the Kentucky Derby ten days later.

March 28, 1950, T-Bar-V Ranch Time showed for the 1st time on WHAS.  Randy Atcher, the beloved singing cowboy, entertained children on television for two decades.

March 28, 1951, around 1,500 rain-soaked fans and the marching band surrounded UK basketball players on their return to Blue Grass Field after winning the NCAA title.  The Cats defeated Kansas State 68-58 the day before in Minneapolis, claiming their 3rd basketball title in four years.

March 28, 1951, Army PFC Damon W. Hickerson from Taylor County died in the Korean War.

March 28, 1953, Army PFC Clyde Branham from Pike County died in the Korean War.

March 28, 1962, Muhammad Ali (12-0) fought Don Warner (12-6-2) in Miami Beach Convention Hall.  Warner was a two-handed puncher who had a good record of wins inside the distance.  “He was a tough left-hooker from Philadelphia,” said Dundee, Ali’s trainer.  Clay said Warner, 22, would go down in the 5th round.  But Ali sent a bloodied Warner through the ropes in Round 4.  Asked why he had taken Warner in the 4th when he had predicted the 5th, Clay said because Warner neglected to shake hands at the weigh-in.

March 28, 1967, Marine Corps LCPL Larry C. Dye from Bowling Green died in the Vietnam War.

March 28, 1968, Army PFC Douglas F. Loudenback from Ashland died in the Vietnam War.

March 28, 1969, Army 1LT Alvin C. Schulte from Louisville died in the Vietnam War.

March 28, 1970, Army PFC Darrell Smith from Manchester in Clay County died in the Vietnam War.

March 28, 1978, about 7,000 Kentucky basketball fans packed into the Blue Grass Airport terminal to welcome home the Wildcats after winning the 1978 NCAA National Championship in St. Louis’s Checkerdome a few hours earlier.

March 28, 1979, the U.S. Register of Historic Places accepted the Dinsmore Homestead.  In 1839, James Dinsmore purchased approximately 700 acres in Boone County, growing grapes, raising sheep, and growing willows for a basket-making business.  Construction ended in 1842.  The Dinsmore family’s connections reached people like George Washington, James Bowie, Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, Benjamin F. Goodrich, Henry Cabot Lodge, John Jacob Astor IV, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

March 28, 1980, the Kentucky Senate overwhelmingly passed House Bill 141, placing stricter penalties for the possession and sale of marijuana.  Among other details, they made eight ounces the maximum amount that can be possessed and still be a misdemeanor.

March 28, 1986, Rupp Arena hosted the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament.  The Final Four contenders included Texas, Tennessee, Western Kentucky, and USC.  Texas came out on top on March 30.  This would be WKU’s 2nd Final Four appearance.

March 28, 1987, Clay County defeated Ballard for the State High School Basketball Championship in Rupp Arena 76-73.  Ritchie Farmer scored a game-high 27 points for the 19,000 fans who attended.

Sweet 16 Trivia:  Richie Farmer holds the record for most points scored in the Sweet 16 Tournaments with 317 and the most tournaments played with five.

March 28, 1992, Hopkinsville’s University Heights defeated Lexington Catholic 59-57 at Freedom Hall in Louisville for the State High School Sweet 16 Boys’ Basketball Championship. 

Sweet 16 Trivia:  The 1st Sweet 16 Basketball title game between two private schools happened during the epic UK/Duke game between C. Laettner and The Unforgettables.  Many of the fans in Freedom Hall had their backs to live action and instead watched UK on Freedom Hall’s TV.

March 28, 1992, Kentucky lost in overtime, in the most famous college basketball game ever played.  The next day, President Bush asked the press corps on his morning walk if they had caught the end of the game the night before.  Basketball fans across the globe were asking the same question.

On March 28, 1992, after 39 years, Cawood Ledford signed off as a play-by-play announcer for the UK basketball.  The Harlan native, Centre College graduate, began his radio career in 1951 and, in 1953, became the Wildcats’ announcer.  He also announced the NCAA Final Four, numerous Kentucky Derbies, and the ABA Kentucky Colonels.

March 28, 2002, the state accused a former Kentucky bridge inspector, Kevin L. Earls, of soliciting bribes from companies painting the Kennedy Bridge.  He pleaded guilty to violating a federal anti-corruption statute.

Kentucky Trivia: Kentucky boasts 12 restored working covered bridges.

On March 28, 2007, Pulaski County native Jack Daws intentionally put his “Counterfeit Penny Sculpture,” made of gold, in circulation at Los Angeles International Airport.  Jessica Reed, a graphic designer and coin collector, discovered it in Brooklyn 2.5 years later by.  “Most counterfeiting takes something that is nearly worthless and turns it into something perceived to have value.  Mr. Daws did just the opposite.  He took value and turned it into one cent.”

March 28, 2015, the Louisville police shot Tyrone Booker, Jr., in the back and he died on the streets of Louisville.  In 2014, Tyrone and three others received a $1.5 million settlement from the city after the “Misidentified 4” lawsuit.

March 28, 2015, Kentucky advanced to Wisconsin’s Final Four by winning the Midwest Region over Notre Dame 68-66 in Cleveland.  This would make four Final Fours in five years, the greatest span in the school’s history.  Kentucky has not been back since.

On March 28, 2018, President Trump went to the EPA with coal miners and signed an executive order to roll back President Obama’s Clean Power Plan that cut carbon emissions from power plants.  Unfortunately, the order did little to help the fledgling industry.

March 28, 2019, as Ivanka Trump toured the Georgetown Toyota plant with Governor M. Bevin, Frankfort lawmakers, on their last day of work, pushed through a batch of new corporate tax breaks.

March 28, 2020, Kentucky announced 92 positive coronavirus cases, the most to date, for a statewide total of 394.  Northern Kentucky lost its 1st citizen, a 60-year-old female, bringing that total to nine.  Although society shutdowns, the thoroughbred industry made it clear they would not, the breeding season continued full force.

March 28, 2020, nine go to post in the GI $750,000 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park with the goal of collecting Kentucky Derby points.

March 28, 2021, the General Assembly continued to pass bills limiting Governor A. Beshear’s power, the governor continued to veto them, and the Assembly continued to override his vetoes.  The bills targeted his alleged “abuse of emergency powers,” however, many said the powers went far beyond the pandemic.

On March 28, 2022, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy declared its neutrality and wanted to discuss the contested areas and have a face-to-face meeting with President Putin to end the war.  Unfortunately, America would not have it and their proxy war continued.  Today over 100,000 Ukrainians have died, so American soldiers don’t have to.