UK's 1-5 start to the season has led many to race to the record books looking for the last team to start so poorly.

This has led them to the ill-fated 1926-27 season, a team that started 1-8 & went 3-13 overall.

http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/1926-27.html

Thread...
The 1926-27 team was raw, as the previous year UK boasted one of it's best squads ever (15-3), led by many players who helped win the 1922 High School National Championship with Lexington Senior High (James McFarland, Lovell Underwood & Burgess Carey), but had since graduated.
The top returning scorers were Gayle Mohney and Paul Jenkins, however Mohney chose to sit out the season to nurse an injury (ulcerated stomach). He ended up never playing basketball for the Wildcats again, although he was a great football star as quarterback, graduating in 1928.
Mohney was highly regarded (later named Senior Class President) & actually was on the committee which ended up hiring a coach for the season (Basil Hayden). Mohney ended up coaching the Morton Junior High basketball team that season while he recuperated.
Mohney was highly regarded (later named Senior Class President) & actually was on the committee which ended up hiring a coach for the season (Basil Hayden). Mohney ended up coaching the Morton Junior High basketball team that season while he recuperated.
Mohney was highly regarded (later named Senior Class President) & actually was on the committee which ended up hiring a coach for the season (Basil Hayden). Mohney ended up coaching the Morton Junior High basketball team that season while he recuperated.
The basketball coach positiion was in jeopardy well before people seem to remember. In the middle of September 1926 the previous year's coach (Ray Eklund), on the edge of nervous breakdown, resigned abruptly as freshman football coach before deciding to return to Lexington.
The basketball coach positiion was in jeopardy well before people seem to remember. In the middle of September 1926 the previous year's coach (Ray Eklund), on the edge of nervous breakdown, resigned abruptly as freshman football coach before deciding to return to Lexington.
The basketball coach positiion was in jeopardy well before people seem to remember. In the middle of September 1926 the previous year's coach (Ray Eklund), on the edge of nervous breakdown, resigned abruptly as freshman football coach before deciding to return to Lexington.
The basketball coach positiion was in jeopardy well before people seem to remember. In the middle of September 1926 the previous year's coach (Ray Eklund), on the edge of nervous breakdown, resigned abruptly as freshman football coach before deciding to return to Lexington.
Eklund returned to coaching the freshman football team before resigning again in late November, with a end date of 1-DEC-1926, due to ill-health. This came after UK varsity football lost a shocker to arch-rival Centre Colllege (7-0), setting off a firestorm on campus.
Eklund returned to coaching the freshman football team before resigning again in late November, with a end date of 1-DEC-1926, due to ill-health. This came after UK varsity football lost a shocker to arch-rival Centre Colllege (7-0), setting off a firestorm on campus.
Eklund returned to coaching the freshman football team before resigning again in late November, with a end date of 1-DEC-1926, due to ill-health. This came after UK varsity football lost a shocker to arch-rival Centre Colllege (7-0), setting off a firestorm on campus.
With three weeks before their scheduled 1st game against Cincinnati, the UK athletic board was in scramble mode to find a new coach. Early contender was Louisville duPont Manual high school coach Neal Arnston.
With three weeks before their scheduled 1st game against Cincinnati, the UK athletic board was in scramble mode to find a new coach. Early contender was Louisville duPont Manual high school coach Neal Arnston.
With three weeks before their scheduled 1st game against Cincinnati, the UK athletic board was in scramble mode to find a new coach. Early contender was Louisville duPont Manual high school coach Neal Arnston.
Arnston was initially offered $6,000 for the position, which likely included him becoming the new football coach the following Fall. Arnston said he'd accept for $7,500, but the University only counter-offered $6,500 and Arnston declined.
Arnston was initially offered $6,000 for the position, which likely included him becoming the new football coach the following Fall. Arnston said he'd accept for $7,500, but the University only counter-offered $6,500 and Arnston declined.
Arnston was initially offered $6,000 for the position, which likely included him becoming the new football coach the following Fall. Arnston said he'd accept for $7,500, but the University only counter-offered $6,500 and Arnston declined.
Meanwhile the coachless Wildcats were preparing to go it alone, with UK players Paul Jenkins & Gayle Mohney themselves potentially serving as coaches. Unfortunately, soon thereafter Mohney made his annoucement he would not return to the team in order to recuperate from injury.
Meanwhile the coachless Wildcats were preparing to go it alone, with UK players Paul Jenkins & Gayle Mohney themselves potentially serving as coaches. Unfortunately, soon thereafter Mohney made his annoucement he would not return to the team in order to recuperate from injury.
Meanwhile the coachless Wildcats were preparing to go it alone, with UK players Paul Jenkins & Gayle Mohney themselves potentially serving as coaches. Unfortunately, soon thereafter Mohney made his annoucement he would not return to the team in order to recuperate from injury.
In scramble mode, the committee hired former UK player (& 1st All-American) Basil Hayden to a short-term contract. ($300 a month for 3 months) as a stop-gap measure.

Hayden had coached at Kentucky Wesleyan & Stanford KY HS but had since moved on to selling insurance in Richmond.
In scramble mode, the committee hired former UK player (& 1st All-American) Basil Hayden to a short-term contract. ($300 a month for 3 months) as a stop-gap measure.Hayden had coached at Kentucky Wesleyan & Stanford KY HS but had since moved on to selling insurance in Richmond.
In scramble mode, the committee hired former UK player (& 1st All-American) Basil Hayden to a short-term contract. ($300 a month for 3 months) as a stop-gap measure.Hayden had coached at Kentucky Wesleyan & Stanford KY HS but had since moved on to selling insurance in Richmond.
In scramble mode, the committee hired former UK player (& 1st All-American) Basil Hayden to a short-term contract. ($300 a month for 3 months) as a stop-gap measure.Hayden had coached at Kentucky Wesleyan & Stanford KY HS but had since moved on to selling insurance in Richmond.
Hayden found the pickings slim, in a 1989 article he noted that Eklund had "left behind a bunch of scrubs", many of them football players.

"I came back..because they asked me..to coach until they could get somebody else. I knew..it was going to be tough." he told Russell Rice.
The best hoops prospect, Paul Jenkins, Hayden found difficult. From a 1989 interview: "He thought he knew more about coaching than I did. he could have been a lot better if he was disposed to do so. He couldn't get that interested in things because he didn't have any help."
As it turned out, he probably did. Jenkins went to a highly successful coaching career, in prep basketball & football among other sports in Kentucky & Florida. This included numerous state championships both major sports & being named 2X "Coach of the Year".
As it turned out, he probably did. Jenkins went to a highly successful coaching career, in prep basketball & football among other sports in Kentucky & Florida. This included numerous state championships both major sports & being named 2X "Coach of the Year".
As it turned out, he probably did. Jenkins went to a highly successful coaching career, in prep basketball & football among other sports in Kentucky & Florida. This included numerous state championships both major sports & being named 2X "Coach of the Year".
The first game against Cincinnati was a rout, as UK started a lineup of Paul Jenkins, Ray Ellis, Elmer Gilb, Clair Dees & C. Foster Helm, all football players.

UCinn center Richard Bolton outjumped Helm at center and the Bearcats won going away 48-10.

http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/19261218Cincinnati.html
The first game against Cincinnati was a rout, as UK started a lineup of Paul Jenkins, Ray Ellis, Elmer Gilb, Clair Dees & C. Foster Helm, all football players. UCinn center Richard Bolton outjumped Helm at center and the Bearcats won going away 48-10. http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/19261218Cincinnati.html
The first game against Cincinnati was a rout, as UK started a lineup of Paul Jenkins, Ray Ellis, Elmer Gilb, Clair Dees & C. Foster Helm, all football players. UCinn center Richard Bolton outjumped Helm at center and the Bearcats won going away 48-10. http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/19261218Cincinnati.html
Kentucky lost their 1st 4 games before beating Florida at home, then lost another 4 before beating Centre by 2, 27-25 on a last second shot by Edwin "Toots" Knadler.

http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/19270129CentreCollege.html
Kentucky lost their 1st 4 games before beating Florida at home, then lost another 4 before beating Centre by 2, 27-25 on a last second shot by Edwin "Toots" Knadler. http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/19270129CentreCollege.html
Kentucky lost their 1st 4 games before beating Florida at home, then lost another 4 before beating Centre by 2, 27-25 on a last second shot by Edwin "Toots" Knadler. http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Games/19270129CentreCollege.html
"Back then, if we beat Centre all other losses were forgiven," reminisced S.A. (Daddy) Boles in a 1950 LH interview.

Noted Hayden to Rice "I couldn't get a very good effort out of them all season. They had no incentive except against Centre, which had beaten them in football."
Around that time, the administration hired Harry Gamage from the University of Illinois as the next head football coach who brought along assistant football coach John Mauer to also take over the 1927-28 varsity basketball team.

The program was heading in a new direction.
Around that time, the administration hired Harry Gamage from the University of Illinois as the next head football coach who brought along assistant football coach John Mauer to also take over the 1927-28 varsity basketball team.The program was heading in a new direction.
Around that time, the administration hired Harry Gamage from the University of Illinois as the next head football coach who brought along assistant football coach John Mauer to also take over the 1927-28 varsity basketball team.The program was heading in a new direction.
Kentucky went on to win only one more game all season, against Centre in Danville. They were not invited to the Southern Conference tournament in Atlanta.

This would be the last losing season UK experienced until the 1988-89 season under Eddie Sutton (13-19).
Kentucky went on to win only one more game all season, against Centre in Danville. They were not invited to the Southern Conference tournament in Atlanta.This would be the last losing season UK experienced until the 1988-89 season under Eddie Sutton (13-19).
Kentucky went on to win only one more game all season, against Centre in Danville. They were not invited to the Southern Conference tournament in Atlanta.This would be the last losing season UK experienced until the 1988-89 season under Eddie Sutton (13-19).
Basil Hayden went on to become a minor celebrity in Kentucky as the 1st UK All-American & the oldest Wildcat player ever, outliving them all, until his death in 2003 at the ripe old age of 103.

http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Players/Hayden_Basil.html

/end of thread
Basil Hayden went on to become a minor celebrity in Kentucky as the 1st UK All-American & the oldest Wildcat player ever, outliving them all, until his death in 2003 at the ripe old age of 103. http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Players/Hayden_Basil.html/end of thread
Basil Hayden went on to become a minor celebrity in Kentucky as the 1st UK All-American & the oldest Wildcat player ever, outliving them all, until his death in 2003 at the ripe old age of 103. http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Players/Hayden_Basil.html/end of thread
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