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TODAY IN KENTUCKY HISTORY

Kentucky Trivia ● Kentucky Tweets

March 31, 1842, with tears in his eyes, Henry Clay bids the Senate farewell to make a run for the presidency.

March 31, 1862, officers arrested Russellville native George Bibb Crittenden for drunkenness and relieved of his duties as commander of the 2nd Division of the Army of Central Kentucky.  He was reinstated more than two weeks later.  Still, General Braxton Bragg ordered a court of inquiry that summer and Crittenden resigned in October.  After the war George served as the state librarian until 1871.

What possibly led to his arrest?  His troops were defeated at the Battle of Mill Springs two months earlier.  It was the first battlefield setback for the Confederate war effort and the loss significantly weakened the Confederate hold on Eastern Kentucky.

March 31, 1892, Deputy Sheriff Floyd Slusher, Leslie County Sheriff’s Office, died after two brothers retaliated against the Leslie County Sheriff’s Office.  Three weeks earlier Leslie County Deputies raided their families still.

March 31, 1919, Patrolman Charles West Hatfield, Ashland Police Department, was shot and killed while he responded to a report of an armed robbery of a hotel.  Patrolman Hatfield was survived by his wife and daughter.

March 31, 1951, Army PFC Robert E. Patton from Daviess County died in the Korean War.

March 31, 1967, the Colonels officially enter the ABA.  The Colonels last game was in 1976.

March 31, 1968, Army SP4 Wayne A. Hokenson from Louisville, Army SP4 John P. Matlock from Louisville and Army SFC William Vance Jr. from Oak Grove in Christian County, all died in the Vietnam War.

March 31, 1968, the first passenger jet flight flew out of Blue Grass Field.  The Delta Air Lines DC-9 flew to Detroit.

Kentucky Trivia:  The Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is the fourth busiest cargo airport in the world and sees about 500 planes take-off and land each day.

Localtonians wishes a Happy Birthday to Kentucky bred Bold Forbes, born in 1973 on Eaton Farms outside Lexington.  

March 31, 1973, Muhammad Ali (41-2) fought Ken Norton (29-1) in San Diego Sports Arena.  Norton came in largely unknown, having earned $300 in his previous fight, but he was about to change history.  The former Joe Frazier sparring partner was trained by Frazier’s trainer, Eddie Futch.  Norton nailed Ali with a straight right in the second round and broke his jaw.  Dundee asked Ali to stop, but he fought for another 10 rounds, losing on a split decision.  Immediately after the fight, Ali had surgery on his jaw.  The doctor who wired it said, “I can’t fathom how he could go the whole fight like that.”

March 31, 1973, Sham wins the GI Santa Anita Derby.

March 31, 1975, Coach John Wooden closed out his coaching career by leading the Bruins to their 10th NCAA title in 12 years, over Kentucky 85-92 in San Diego.  Louisville beat Syracuse to place third.    

March 31, 1984, Georgetown outscores UK 23-2 at the start of the second half to defeat the Wildcats, 53-40, in the NCAA semifinal game in Seattle.

March 31, 1986, Louisville Cardinals won their 2nd NCAA Championship defeating Duke in Dallas 72-69.  Coach Denny Crum also wins his second title.  Pervis Ellison was named MVP and Johnny Dawkins scored the most points during the tournament.  This tournament was the first to use a shot clock set at 45 seconds.  It was moved to 35 seconds beginning in 1994 and 30 seconds in the 2016 NCAA Men’s Tournament.  The 1986 tournament was also the last not to feature the three-point shot.

March 31, 1992, “You got, you got a, you got a tape of him giving me $500.00?”  A memorable BOBTROT quote after the F.B.I. told a legislature they have him on tape taking a bribe.  

March 31, 2008, long-time Kentucky basketball manager Bill Keightley passed away at 81.  Affectionately known as “Mr. Wildcat,” he manned the “Bill Keightley Equipment Room” in Memorial Coliseum since 1962.  A crowd of over 3,000 paid their respects at a tribute to Mr. Keightley held in Rupp Arena.

March 31, 2012, Kentucky 69, Louisville 61: In one of two matchups in the 2012 season, the Cats faced off against the Cards in the Final Four in New Orleans.  In a defense-oriented game for both teams, the Cats slid past the Cards late in the second half.  Anthony Davis led UK with 18 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.

March 31, 2018, the GI $1,200,000 Florida Derby for three-year-olds runs at Gulfstream Park.

March 31, 2019, a 5-year-old gelding Arms Runner fell during a race and had to be euthanized after sustaining a catastrophic injury to his right front leg.  It was the 23rd horse death at Santa Anita since December 26, 2018.

March 31, 2020, Kentucky adds seven deaths and 114 positive cases of coronavirus bringing totals to 17 and 594 respectively.  State officials predict more than 1,000 Kentuckians may die from the flu.  All corporate news stations convey that healthy people do not need to wear masks.

March 31, 2021, Governor A. Beshear announced that every Kentuckian, 16 and older, could take covid-19 vaccines.  However, only one vaccine was available to 16 and 17-year-olds.  The other two vaccines were for people 18 or older.  Meanwhile, basketball fans get to enjoy the Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena with restrictions and masks.