RIP "Mr. Wildcat," Bill Keightley

[KYSportsWriter]

Passed away today after falling at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

http://www.kentucky.com/254/story/362648.html

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

There are no words. Just none.

RIP, Bill.

:'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

 

[Football_Bat]

The shame of it was he died on Ohio soil.

 

[forever_town]

Wow, that's awful.

RIP.

 

[chester]

Absolutely terrible news.

RIP

 

[imjustagirl]

My mom called me with this news, said it was on a crawl on the Lexington stations.

As much as I hate Kentucky basketball, Keightley loved it 10 times more. He was kind to me and to everyone I know.

The best quote I saw in that story was how the best thing about him was that he made everyone feel like that person was his best friend.

RIP to a good man who truly loved the Big Blue.

 

[KYSportsWriter]

My mom called me with this news, said it was on a crawl on the Lexington stations.

As much as I hate Kentucky basketball, Keightley loved it 10 times more. He was kind to me and to everyone I know.

The best quote I saw in that story was how the best thing about him was that he made everyone feel like that person was his best friend.

RIP to a good man who truly loved the Big Blue.

I have about as much hatred for all things UK like you, but it's going to be strange not seeing him on that bench next season.

 

[imjustagirl]

 

[CollegeJournalist]

I damn near cried when I got the phone call tonight.

The former administrative assistant in Tipton's story is correct: UK basketball won't ever be the same. I doubt you could find someone more passionate about UK or the job he had than Bill Keightley.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Damn, damn, damn.

Just a great man. The line about him never meeting a stranger is the truth.

 

[KYSportsWriter]

Details for Mr. Wildcat's funeral.

http://www.ukathletics.com/index.php?change_well_id=2&url_article_id=21875

 

[Steak Snabler]

Internal bleeding, which doctors traced to an undiagnosed cancerous tumor on his spine, caused his death.

Sad story, but that was a quick autopsy.

 

[Bob Slydell]

Incredible memorial service for Mr. Keightley, aired on TV. Great stories, I doubt the equipment manager at another school will ever get this much love.

 

[Lyman_Bostock]

It's amazing how much influence this guy had and how much he was beloved. Tubby crying on the phone? Joe B. Hall being too broken up to talk about it? Billy Clyde dropping everything and rushing to Cincinnati?

He must have been a very special man.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

It's amazing how much influence this guy had and how much he was beloved. Tubby crying on the phone? Joe B. Hall being too broken up to talk about it? Billy Clyde dropping everything and rushing to Cincinnati?

He must have been a very special man.

Yes, he was.

 

[Bob Slydell]

I never got to know him, but everyone that did loved the man.

At the Swseet 16 last year, a longtime stat guy for one of our teams saud he was looking forward to getting to Rupp so he could sit in the seat Keightley sat in. Not the UK coach, but the equipment manager.

Pitino was great. He told this story about when he first got there and had Keightley move to the seat beside him, he said he was supopsed to keep Pitino in the coaches box to stop him from getting a technical. Well, the second game Pitini hops up and starts to head toward center court, Keightley grabbed him and Pitino turned and said, 'you grab me again and you;re a dead man. Everyone laughed at that. There were lots of good speakers, and Gillispie was among those.

I think I'll have some bourbon this weekend in memory of Mr Wildcat.

 

[KYSportsWriter]

It's amazing how much influence this guy had and how much he was beloved. Tubby crying on the phone? Joe B. Hall being too broken up to talk about it? Billy Clyde dropping everything and rushing to Cincinnati?

He must have been a very special man.

Yes, he was.

Indeed he was.

The picture of UK's bench we're using in tomorrow's paper is pretty damned powerful.