Happy birthday, Kentucky.
Once considered a part of Virginia, the Bluegrass State celebrates its 225th birthday as a Commonwealth Thursday. This state has plenty to acknowledge since its existence began more than two centuries ago when it became the 15th settlement to join the union.
The Wildcats will celebrate their 115th season next season and is the all-time winningest program in college basketball with 2,237 victories, for a winning percentage of .765, also the best in the nation. Kentucky also leads the country in NCAA Tournament appearances with 56 and has reached the Final Four 17 times and has won eight national championships, the latest coming five years ago.
Louisville also has a rich history in college basketball and has claimed three national championships under two different coaches. The Cardinals have appeared in 10 Final Fours during 42 tournament appearances and has claimed 76 victories in the Big Dance.
Adolph Rupp built Kentucky into a powerhouse and Denny Crum, a former assistant under the late John Wooden at UCLA, put Louisville on the national map with a pair of national championships during his 30-year tenure. Former Kentucky coach Rick Pitino, who revived the Wildcats from probation more than two decades ago, succeeded Crum at Louisville and won a national title four years ago.
Much Like Pitino, John Calipari, the current Kentucky coach, made the Wildcats relevant again in college basketball, following Billy Gillispie’s disastrous run that lasted for just two seasons. Kentucky called on Calipari and the rest has been history.
Although both schools have excelled in other sports regionally and nationally, basketball is the one sport that puts each school over the top in terms of national recognition.
The other major universities in the state, Eastern Kentucky, Western Kentucky, Morehead State, Northern Kentucky and Murray State, also have accomplished great feats on the hardwood, giving Kentucky four more reasons to celebrate its greatness on the playing field.
The Kentucky Derby is one of the most recognizable horse races in the world and just completed its 143rd running nearly a month ago as part of the first leg of horse racing’s prestigious Triple Crown.
Not only does the nation’s premier horse race attract national attention, the state also has hosted the PGA Championship, the Senior PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup at Valhalla Golf Course in Louisville during the past 25 years, a sign the Bluegrass is a prime spot for the nation’s top golfers. One of those golfers — Kenny Perry — is from Franklin.
Although it took longer to become a reality, the state nabbed a Sprint Cup race at the Kentucky Speedway. Sparta hosts the Quaker State 400 each year, giving the state a chance to showcase its love for auto racing.
The Kentucky boys and girls state tournament is one of a handful of states that still recognize one state champion, giving schools from all sizes, shapes and forms a chance to compete for the coveted state championship.
The state has plenty to celebrate and will achieve many more feats in the generations to come, but for now, let’s celebrate Kentucky today.
Keith Taylor is a senior sports writer for KyForward, where he primarily covers University of Kentucky sports. Reach him at keith.taylor@kyforward.com or @keithtaylor21 on Twitter