On October 2, 1854, John LaRue Helm became Louisville and Nashville’s 2nd president between his two terms as Kentucky’s governor . Helm worked diligently to convince residents along the line’s main route of the economic benefits it would bring. He persuaded many of them to help clear and grade land for the line and accept company stock as payment. John served as the 18th and 24th governors for a combined 14 months.
October 2, 1861, former U.S. V.P. John C. Breckinridge fled Kentucky . After his loss in the November 1860 presidential election, the Kentucky legislature appointed Breckinridge to the U.S. Senate, but he did not serve long. As Southern states began seceding from the Union following Lincoln’s election, Kentucky resolved to remain in the Union. Suspecting Breckinridge’s pro-Southern sympathies, Unionists forced him to flee the state.
On October 2, 1865, Kentucky University of Harrodsburg moved to Lexington, absorbed Transylvania University, and was known as Kentucky University until 1908, when it reverted to its pioneer name, Transy.
On October 2, 1901, Shelby County lynched Jimbo Fields for murder.
October 2, 1911, Laurel Park opened . The facility started during a track building boom in Maryland. With racing dark in New York because of a gambling ban and racing legal in only a handful of states, Maryland opened Laurel, Havre de Grace, and Bowie race tracks in four years. The opening of Laurel marked the beginning of the golden years of Maryland racing.
October 2, 1920, the Wildcats shutout Rhodes 62-0 to open the season for William Juneau’s 1st game as head coach . The Wildcats went on to a 3-4-1 record. Coach Juneau would finish his Kentucky career with a 56-28-5 record.
October 2, 1940, Deputy Sheriff John F. Cable, Pike County Sheriff’s Office , died when a prisoner he had arrested for disorderly conduct shot him. As Deputy Cable drove the suspect to jail they stopped at a service station after the man requested to use the bathroom. The man was taking an unusually long time and when Deputy Cable went to check on him the man opened fire.
October 2, 1950, Marine Corps Charles L. Johnson from Morning View in Kenton County and Army PFC Robert J. McKie from Muhlenberg County , died in the Korean War.
October 2, 1951, Army CPL David Wireman from Magoffin County , died in the Korean War.
October 2, 1952, Army SGT Bobby V. Combs from Letcher County , Army 2LT James O Lambert from Clark County and Army CPL Reno D. Stice from Jefferson County , all died in the Korean War.
October 2, 1954, in Blanton Collier’s 1st year as UK’s head coach, he beat LSU 7-6 in the 3rd game of the season . Blanton coached for eight years with a 41-36-3 record.
October 2, 1957, a color guard from the Kentucky Military Institute marched past the premiere of the movie “Raintree County,” at the Brown Theatre in Louisville. Producers filmed the movie in Danville.
October 2, 1968, Army SP4 Donald L. Wester from Cleaton in Muhlenberg County , died fighting in the Vietnam War.
On October 2, 1973, the U.S. National Register of Historic Places accepted the Johnston–Jacobs House . The Greek Revival-style brick house stands near downtown Georgetown. Adam Johnston built the original structure in approximately 1795 for a tavern-inn.
By Sydney Poore
On October 2, 1976, Forego defeated Honest Pleasure in the Marlboro Cup at Belmont Park, with Willie Shoemaker up. Fans celebrate the sensational stretch drive as one of the best in racing history.
October 2, 1977, Deputy Jailer Joe C. Lykins, Boyle County Detention Center , suffocated to death after being overpowered and gagged during an escape attempt from the Boyle County Jail.
October 2, 1985, Rebecca Caudill Ayars, from Poor Fork , now Cumberland, passed away. Rebecca wrote children’s literature with more than twenty books published. Her Tree of Freedom (Viking, 1949) was a Newbery Honor Book in 1950. A Pocketful of Cricket (Holt, 1964), illustrated by Evaline Ness, was a Caldecott Honor Book.
On October 2, 1994, Fort Knox native Larry Gilbert won the Vantage Championship, a senior PGA tour event, by one stroke over Raymond Floyd.
October 2, 2003, Tina Conner pleaded guilty to mail fraud in U.S. District Court . The governor acknowledged the affair and said it ruined his chances of running against Republican Jim Bunning for the U.S. Senate seat.
October 2, 2004, in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Handicap at Belmont Park, Kitten’s Joy faced older horses for the 1st time . It was also his 1st start at 12 furlongs, a distance at which European-bred horses typically excel. Nevertheless, Kitten’s Joy responded with an “authoritative” win by 2+1⁄2 lengths. “What amazed me about him is his turn of foot, acceleration, and how kind he is during the race,” Romans said. “When you ask him, he turns it on. This is the best race he’s run so far. I thought he would relish a mile and a half, and he showed that he did today.”
On October 2, 2015, locals enjoyed the 44th Forkland Heritage Festival, which included bean supper theater, sorghum-making, a silent auction, and living history skits.
On October 2, 2020, President D. Trump, the 1st Lady, and other inner circle members tested positive for coronavirus. Upon his arrival at the hospital, the president received a single 8-gram dose of Regeneron’s REGN-COV2, a drug in late-stage clinical trials. Trump ingested eight different drugs to combat the virus during his treatment. The corporate captured FDA had not yet approved any drug for the coronavirus.
On Saturday night, October 2, 2021, in Commonwealth Stadium, Kentucky defeated #10 Florida 20-14 in front of 61,632 spectators. It had been 35 years (1986) since the Gators went down in Lexington. The 5-0 Cats, 3-0 in SEC play, defeated LSU next, then lost to the Bulldogs. They won the Citrus Bowl over Iowa on January 1. The last times the Wildcats had been 5-0 included: 1984, 2007, 2018, 2021, and 2023.
On October 2, 2022, two Kentucky Congressmen tweeted concerns over mandating an experimental vaccine to the healthiest members of American society.
On October 2, 2023, Paul and Barr posted their thoughts of the day. Barr let everyone know who he backed on the eve of the historic vote to oust the U.S. Speaker; his endorsement didn’t help. Rand played to the working man’s vote by reminding everyone how much resources it takes to fight America’s proxy war on the Russian border.
