Denny Crum Touched a lot of Lives on and off the Basketball Court

Coaches Denny Crum of Louisville and Joe Hall of Kentucky became close friends after their coaching careers ended.

The passing of University of Louisville coaching icon Denny Crum Tuesday at age 86 made me think back to the first time I met Crum.

That came in 1977 not long after I started working at The Advocate-Messenger when Crum shocked many by coming to Mercer County to recruit and sign 7-footer Marty Pulliam — who appeared destined to play at Transylvania University before Crum took an interest in him and Pulliam quickly accepted the scholarship offer.

I met Crum during a home visit with Pulliam and his family — times were different then when a coach would not worry about a media member being present during the visit — and had chances to interact a lot with him over the years.

I was at the first Dream Game in Knoxville when Louisville beat Kentucky. I was in Freedom Hall in 1986 when Rex Chapman exploded for 26 points in an 85-51 win over Crum — his worst loss at Louisville in his 30-yard coaching career. Crum had recruited Chapman and many thought he might go to Louisville.

I remember Crum’s two national championship teams in 1980 and 1986 and the four other teams he also took to the Final Four. I remember when the Freedom Hall court was named for him and then the same was done at the KFC Yum Center.

Crum won 675 games in his 30-year career and never thought of leaving Louisville to be a head coach at any other school.

There was a time when Crum and Kentucky coach Joe Hall were bitter rivals. They had no choice because when the rivalry was renewed, there was a ton of bitterness on both sides.

Yet they both always handled the situation with class.

“It was amazing times for our state. Two great coaches, the rivalry was the best in college basketball and each team had players from our state that made an impact on winning,” Lonnie Rowe, a former high school coach and father of UK sophomore basketball player Cassidy Rowe, posted on Twitter.

When their coaching careers ended, they became best friends and for 10 1/2 years did the “Joe B & Denny Radio Show” that touched on sports, fishing and non-sports topics. I was giddy when they asked me to be on the show several times and WVLK talk show host Larry Glover told me Tuesday he felt the same way.

Kentucky coach John Calipari did not have to compete against Crum, who retired in 2001, at Kentucky but obviously had immense respect for the Louisville coach.

“Denny Crum was truly a Hall of Famer,” Calipari posted on Twitter. “He was kind, had a great sense of humor but make no mistake about it, he was a competitor who wanted to win every game. My heart goes out to (his wife) Susan and his family and friends. We lost another legend in our state today. Rest in peace, my friend.”

The UK coach also added that Crum was his daughter Megan’s favorite coach.

“She loved his name and the red jacket!” Calipari tweeted.

Current Louisville head coach Kenny Payne was on Crum’s 1986 national championship team.

“Today is a sad day for me personally, as well as the basketball world,” Payne said in a statement from Louisville. “My thoughts go through all the lessons that he taught, not just to me, but every player he ever came in contact with. Those lessons are still relevant today.  We were so blessed to have him in our lives.”

Crum truly gave his heart and soul to Louisville basketball and remained active in civic/charitable events in the Louisville area.

“Denny Crum was a basketball legend, making an impact here in Kentucky by leading Louisville to win multiple national titles. But even more importantly, he made a difference in the community by running an inclusive program for all to enjoy. He will be greatly missed,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear shared on social media.