Kentucky had a tribute video to former coach Joe Hall before the Tennessee game last week after Hall passed earlier in the day. (UK Athletics Photo)
One of the best things former Kentucky coach Joe B. Hall did for the UK basketball program was make it fully integrated — and never really realized why what he was doing was so historical. I still remember when Lexington high school stars Jack Givens and James Lee both decided to stay home and play for the Wildcats. Both had many friends and others in Lexington telling them that was the wrong decision because of the reputation Kentucky had as a racist school.
It didn’t matter if UK was or not. The perception among many African-Americans was that UK was that way. Still, Hall persuaded players like Dwane Casey and Fred Cowan to come to UK. Same with Dwight Anderson, Truman Clayton, Sam Bowie, Melvin Turpin, Derrick Hord, Kenny Walker, Charles Hurt, and others to play for Kentucky.
Hall never wanted any credit for what he did because at his previous coaching stops he had African-American players. To Hall, if a player was good enough to play for him, he didn’t see black or white. He just saw an athlete.
So even though he won 297 games, took three teams to the Final Four, and won the 1978 national title, Hall’s great accomplishment was how he helped change the national perception of Kentucky basketball.
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Joe B. Hall will always be buried in many a UK fan’s heart. He was one of a kind, one of the Commonwealth’s own. He did his job without a lot of fan fare or drama. He kept UK basketball a winning program after the Rupp years, and did great things we all will remember, for as long as we live. Like the 1978 national championship. He coached some of the greatest players to ever wear the blue and white. Players who stayed around UK long enough to become household names, in an era where UK basketball came first for those players. My favorite, Kenny Walker. I did not know Coach Hall up close and personal, but what I saw and heard from some who did, he was a good man, and a great coach. My prayers are for his family now in their time of grief. Like "Mr. Wildcat" Bill Keightley, Joe B Hall is forever a UK great.
He also started the physical presence to the game when Kevin Grevey and Rick Robey came along.