Thin Thirty
Encyclopedia
The Thin Thirty refers to the 1962 football team at the University of Kentucky
. Coached by Charlie Bradshaw, a Bear Bryant
disciple, the team was thinned by his brutal methods from 88 players to just 30. While the team's record was just 3-5-2, it did include a dramatic victory in the season finale against Tennessee in Knoxville, 12-10. The winning margin was provided by a field goal by Clarkie Mayfield, one of the heroes of the game, who later died in the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire
on May 28, 1977.
Players on the Kentucky team included Tom Hutchinson, Dale Lindsey
, and Herschel Turner, all of whom later played in the NFL. Bob Kosid later played in the CFL
. Two assistant coaches on the 1962 Kentucky staff, Leeman Bennett
and Chuck Knox
, later had success as NFL head coaches. Lindsey went on to become a successful NFL assistant coach, notably working with Brian Urlacher and the Chicago Bears.
football team is the subject of a book, The Thin Thirty, by Shannon Ragland, published in August, 2007. The focus of the book is the '62 roster of players under first-year coach Charlie Bradshaw — a Bear Bryant disciple — who ended up thinning the team from 88 to 30 players via his brutal conditioning tactics and exploitation of players. The book also asserts that several members of the 1962 team became involved in a gay sex scandal involving actor Rock Hudson
, and that a crucial game was fixed that year.
The Thin Thirty received reviews in several publications, including the Voice-Tribune, the Charleston Post & Courier, the Louisville Courier Journal and by Professor Weldon Johnson, the author of Chokehold.
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
. Coached by Charlie Bradshaw, a Bear Bryant
Bear Bryant
Paul William "Bear" Bryant was an American college football player and coach. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships...
disciple, the team was thinned by his brutal methods from 88 players to just 30. While the team's record was just 3-5-2, it did include a dramatic victory in the season finale against Tennessee in Knoxville, 12-10. The winning margin was provided by a field goal by Clarkie Mayfield, one of the heroes of the game, who later died in the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire
Beverly Hills Supper Club fire
The Beverly Hills Supper Club fire in Southgate, Kentucky is the third deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. It occurred on the night of May 28, 1977, during the Memorial Day weekend...
on May 28, 1977.
Players on the Kentucky team included Tom Hutchinson, Dale Lindsey
Dale Lindsey
Phillip Dale Lindsey is a former American football linebacker and coach in the National Football League. He also spent time as a coach in the Canadian Football League and the United States Football League...
, and Herschel Turner, all of whom later played in the NFL. Bob Kosid later played in the CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. Two assistant coaches on the 1962 Kentucky staff, Leeman Bennett
Leeman Bennett
Leeman Bennett is a former football coach who served at both the collegiate and professional levels, but is most prominently remembered as head coach of the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers....
and Chuck Knox
Chuck Knox
Charles Robert "Chuck" Knox is a former American football coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He is best remembered as head coach of three National Football League teams, the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills, and the Los Angeles Rams, serving two separate stints with...
, later had success as NFL head coaches. Lindsey went on to become a successful NFL assistant coach, notably working with Brian Urlacher and the Chicago Bears.
Book
The 1962 KentuckyKentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
football team is the subject of a book, The Thin Thirty, by Shannon Ragland, published in August, 2007. The focus of the book is the '62 roster of players under first-year coach Charlie Bradshaw — a Bear Bryant disciple — who ended up thinning the team from 88 to 30 players via his brutal conditioning tactics and exploitation of players. The book also asserts that several members of the 1962 team became involved in a gay sex scandal involving actor Rock Hudson
Rock Hudson
Roy Harold Scherer, Jr., later Roy Harold Fitzgerald , known professionally as Rock Hudson, was an American film and television actor, recognized as a romantic leading man during the 1950s and 1960s, most notably in several romantic comedies with Doris Day.Hudson was voted "Star of the Year",...
, and that a crucial game was fixed that year.
The Thin Thirty received reviews in several publications, including the Voice-Tribune, the Charleston Post & Courier, the Louisville Courier Journal and by Professor Weldon Johnson, the author of Chokehold.