What Might Have Been for UK in 1955-56 Season

Clarence Taylor (Frankfort High School Capitolian Yearbook)

By MAC YOCUM, Vaught’s Views Contributor

The 1955-56 basketball season saw Alabama finish atop the SEC standings with a 21-3 mark. Kentucky followed at 20-6 and Vanderbilt was at 19-4. Auburn and Georgia Tech were barely above .500 and everyone else struggled.

Kentucky was two years removed from the 25-0 team of Hagan, Ramsey and Tsioropoulos. Bob Burrow and Jerry Bird were the Wildcats big guns in 1955-56. Coach Rupp had the nucleus of the future Fiddlin’ Five in Vernon Hatton, John Crigler and Ed Beck. Burrow and Bird were named to the 15-man All-SEC team.

But it was the rest of the All SEC team that made Kentucky fans wonder what if. Five native Kentuckians were named to the 1955-56 All SEC team. And what a five they were.

Bobby Kimmel had starred at Valley High. As a senior, despite being the 2nd leading scorer among Jefferson County players, was only an honorable mention All State selection. Kimmel was selected for the East-West All Star game and he was named to the Kentucky All Star team for the battle with Indiana. He didn’t receive much interest from Kentucky so he cast his lot with Coach Whack Hyder and Georgia Tech. As a sophomore Bobby Kimmel made history when he led the Yellowjackets to the upset win that snapped UK’s 129-game home winning streak.

Kimmel hit two free throws with 12 seconds left and then pressured UK into a turnover that led to the go-ahead shot. That was in January of 1955. During the 1955-56 season the next year, Bobby Kimmel averaged nearly 19 points per game and almost 10 rebounds per game to pace the Ramblin’ Wreck. He was named to the All SEC third team. When he graduated he was the all-time leading scorer in Georgia Tech history with 1,363 points. What might have been?

Joining Kimmel on the third team was Bob Emrick. The Paducah Sun was the only All State team he made. He was named a 2nd team all-state selection in 1953 from Ashland High. He was an honorable mention selection by every other outlet.

Earl Adkins was the Ashland star that Rupp and other coaches were interested in the most. Emrick was named to the Kentucky All Stars for the all-star game with West Virginia. Emrick moved into the Gator starting lineup as a freshman. In only his second game he set the Florida single game scoring mark with 34 points against Wofford. He finished his Florida career as a three time All SEC player. He still ranks as one Florida’s all time leading rebounders and scorers. He finished with 1,544 points. What might have been?

Vandy’s backcourt both hailed from the Bluegrass. Clarence “Babe” Taylor was an all state honorable mention selection at Frankfort High in 1952. He was the first 1,000 point scorer atFrankfort High School. His father had been a legendary pharmacist in Nashville. His drug store was right on the edge of campus. So when no other schools came calling, it was only natural that he would go to Vandy. At Vandy he saved his best games for the Wildcats, often being the leading scorer in the games. He scored 1,144 points in his Commodore career.

His running mate was Al Rochelle, who had been the leading vote getter for the All State team in 1953. He led South Christian High to a 35-2 mark as a senior. His only college options were Vanderbilt and Tennessee Tech. He cast his lot with Vandy and he became a Vandy legend. He was a multi time All SEC player. He finished his Commodore career with 1,206 points. What might have been?

The fifth Kentuckian on the 1955-56 All SEC team is the player who put Alabama basketball on the map in the 1950’s for Coach Johnny Dee. Coach Dee’s famed Rocket 8 team is considered by many to be the greatest Crimson Tide team in history and one of the big reasons was Louisville native Jerry “Moose” Harper. Jerry Harper was the third option at Flaget behind his more celebrated teammates, Paul Hornung and Howard Schnellenberger, who were both all-state basketball players besides excelling on the football field.

“Moose” broke his hand just a few games into his senior season so he made no all state teams. When Kentucky didn’t show any interest he headed south to Tuscaloosa. Jerry Harper moved into the lineup as a freshman and made the Crimson Tide his team. He was a four-time All SEC player. He was Alabama’s first basketball All-American. He was the first Bama player to lead the team in scoring four straight years. He is still the all-time leading rebounder in Southeastern Conference history with 1,688. That is still good for eighth all time in NCAA history. He is still one of the Crimson Tide’s all time leading scorers with 1,861 points. As a senior, in his lone game against UK, he scored 38 points and had 26 rebounds. What might have been?

What would the Wildcats fortunes have looked like if Bobby Kimmel, Bob Emrick, Clarence Taylor, Al Rochelle, and Jerry Harper had received interests from Coach Rupp and the Wildcats? One could only imagine.