Kentucky Trivia ● Kentucky Tweets

If my mind can conceive it, if my heart can believe it–then I can achieve it.  Muhammad Ali

September 5, 1804, Christopher Greenup’s inauguration as Kentucky’s 3^rd governor occurred under an elm tree on the south lawn of the Old Capitol.  Greenup was the 1^st lawyer to be governor, and he held the 1^st inaugural ball, which took place at Weisinger’s Tavern in Frankfort on August 28.

On September 5, 1816, George Madison became the 6^th governor of Kentucky and the 1^st to die in office.  Immediately after the election, Madison traveled to Blue Lick Springs for his health but was too weak to return to Frankfort for the inauguration.  Instead, a Bourbon County justice of the peace administered the oath of office.  Madison’s only official act of office was the appointment of Colonel Charles S. Todd as Secretary of State.

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to John G. Carlisle, born in Campbell County, now Kenton County, in 1834.

September 5, 1862, Confederate forces under the command of General Braxton Bragg entered Kentucky.

September 5, 1878, the mayor of Hickman telegraphed the state board of health, informing Frankfort that yellow fever had reached epidemic levels in the city and requested that Governor Dr. Blackburn be sent to them as soon as possible.  The governor arrived in two days to find that roughly 20% of the town’s population was ill with yellow fever.  He organized cleanup crews to disinfect the town.

September 5, 1883, Raywick native James Proctor Knott became Kentucky’s 29^th governor.

September 5, 1931, the historic Paramount Theatre opened with the Paramount ‘talkie’ documentary movie “The Silent Enemy.”  The grand theatre in Ashland had 1,309 seats.

September 5, 1950, Army SGT James T. Preece from Lawrence County, Army CPL Kenneth Ralph from Daviess County, and Army PVT Clarence H. Thompson from Lincoln County, all died in the Korean War.

September 5, 1958, WKPC TV (PBS) channel 15 in Louisville begins broadcasting.

September 5, 1960, Muhammad Ali won his Olympic light-heavyweight gold medal in Rome.  Despite being only 18, he won all four of his fights easily.

September 5, 1965, Marine Corps GYSGT Lee R. James from Louisville died in the Vietnam War.

September 5, 1967, Marine Corps LCPL Martin W. Prather from Louisville and Air Force A1C David G. Woodruff from Cynthiana, died in the Vietnam War.

September 5, 1969, Army CPL Michael L. Litsey from Muldraugh in Meade County died in the Vietnam War.

September 5, 1970, Marine Corps LCPL Thomas M. Crisp from Hopkinsville in Christian County died in the Vietnam War.

September 5, 1974, President Ford announced that the 1^st ambassador to East Germany would be Somerset native John Sherman Cooper.

September 5, 1981, Henry Clay graduate Greg Long put on a defensive clinic, tying a UK record with three interceptions and setting a school record with 155 interception return yards.  Kentucky won their season opener in a 28-6 victory over North Texas.

September 5, 1981, singer Chubby Checker performed at the breeding-season auction charity in Lexington’s Hyatt Regency.  They auctioned of 14 breeding seasons for selective stallions of 14 stallions for the Ephraim McDowell Cancer Research Foundation.

September 5, 1998, the Wildcats put on quite possibly their greatest offensive performance in school history when they traveled to Louisville to take on the Cardinals in their 1^st game ever played at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.  Junior quarterback Tim Couch set or tied then-school records for most total offense (498 yards), most passing yards (498), and most touchdown passes (7).  Kentucky set then-school records for most total offense (801 yards), most first downs (37), and most passing yards (571).  Kentucky won 68-34.  Louisville’s Coach John L. Smith lost his debut; however, he won the remainder of his home games for the season.  The rivalry after this game stood at 9-2 in Kentucky’s favor.

September 5, 2001, after a long illness, Harlan County native Cawood Ledford passed at his home in Harlan.  UK had to cancel a tribute in Rupp Arena due to the “9/11” terrorists attacks.

Sunday, September 5, 2004, Lionel Gates ran for 112 yards and two touchdowns.  Louisville earned its 1^st shutout in four years with a 28-0 victory over Kentucky.  The Cardinals won the traditional opener for the 5^th time in six years and enjoyed their most lopsided win over the Wildcats since a 56-28 victory in 1999.  The record stood at 10-7, advantage Kentucky.

September 5, 2009, Rachel Alexandra ended her three-year-old season, 8 for 8, undefeated, by winning the Woodward (GI).  For the 1^st time all year a few of the boys came close, but she put them away to be the 1^st female of any age to win the historic Woodward Stakes.  The race call was also one for the books.

On September 5, 2009, the Wildcats traveled to Cincinnati to play in Paul Brown Stadium to open their season.  They shut out the Warhawks of Miami (Ohio) 42-0, their first shutout since 1996 and their largest shutout win since 1984.  Coach Brooks’s team ended the season 7-6 and lost in the Music City Bowl.

September 5, 2013, was a lousy day for Clay County and Kentucky.  First, Richie Farmer, 44, pleaded guilty to charges that he misused state resources during his tenure as Agriculture Commissioner.  Richie’s sister also received charges, but she resigned from state government.  Meanwhile, in Richie’s hometown, three of eight persons admitted to a wide-ranging scheme to buy votes in Clay County.

Kentucky Trivia:  The 42 ethics charges against the former basketball star are the most Kentucky has ever levied against one individual.  They included misuse of state employees, misuse of state resources, improper use of grants, and misuse of Kentucky proud marketing funds.

Friday, September 5, 2019, finally, after seven years of having a new high school in Clark County, but playing all of its sports in their old digs, George Rogers Clark’s football team unveiled the new Cardinal Stadium against Tates Creek.  Cardinals won 34-28.

September 5, 2020, for the 1^st time in 146 years, the Kentucky Derby raced with no fans in the stands.  Steve Buttleman, the longtime bugler, played My Old Kentucky Home with no lyrics.  The card included 14 races.

Positives:  790 / 52,464
Deaths:  6 / 993 – 1st death March 16, 2020
50&over:  965 / 49-30: 27 / 29&under: 1

For millions of Americans, Monday, September 5, 2021, Labor Day, 2021, represented a stressful crossroads.  Two primary anchors of the government’s COVID protection package ended or recently ended.  First, an estimated 8.9 million people lost all unemployment benefits.  A federal eviction moratorium had already expired.  Did the banks foreclose on homes, and how many people had to declare bankruptcy?  The shutdowns were harmful for much of the working class in more ways than one.