Kentucky's Oldest Living Players

Kentucky Basketball's Oldest Living Players

Note: The below list provides a timeline of the oldest living former Kentucky players over history, going back to the beginning of the program. A comprehensive listing of all players with known ages at the time of their death is available sorted from youngest to oldest.

The biographical information of Kentucky players, including their dates of birth and dates of death are incomplete, with the fate and whereabouts of some former players lost to time, so there's always a possibility that the below list is inaccurate and may be subject to change in the future.

Photo Name Date
Started Date
Ended Duration Description

John Vogt February 18, 1903 April 24, 1970 67.2 years John Vogt, originally from Louisville KY, played a single game on Kentucky's very first basketball squad in the 1902-03 season, against the Lexington YMCA. That act was enough to establish him as the oldest living Kentucky basketball player, as with a birth date of April 2, 1880, he was the oldest player on the team at the age of 23 years old.
Vogt was a multi-sport player in college, also participating in track (where he set the school outdoor record for the 880 yard run and the mile run) and football (where he was named captain his senior year).
After graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1903, he moved to San Diego County, California in 1911, where he eventually ended up living in the town of Vista.
Vogt died on April 24, 1970, at the age of 91.

Don Branson April 25, 1970 February 19, 1979 8.8 years Don Pedro Branson, from Yosemite KY, played on the 1904-05 and 1905-06 teams and like Vogt also played football and ran track, where in a meet in Danville KY in April 1906 he set a school record of "10 [seconds] flat" in the 100 yard dash, which also reportedly set a collegiate record at the time.
Branson joined the US Army where he served for 27 years, becoming a Major. This included nine years serving in the Phillipines prior to World War I. He later wrote a book about his life and his time in the military.
D.P. Branson died on February 19, 1979 at the age of 96, the same day Kentucky faced the University of Georgia in Athens.
[Note: If anyone is able to locate a full copy of his memoir, please let me know.]

Thomson Bryant February 20, 1979 June 25, 1979 125 days Thomson Bryant, originally from Eminence KY, came to Lexington to attend the Kentucky State College Prep school. He enrolled at UK studying agriculture. He played his first three years on the basketball team, serving as captain of the team his sophomore year. He also ran track and served as head coach of the women's basketball team among other activities.
Bryant did not play basketball his senior year, apparently he was busy with his duties as Senior Class President and second most popular man on campus, along with by his own admission in his senior profile of being "somewhat of a heart-smasher".
After graduation Bryant eventually returned to UK and became a distinguished professor of Agriculture. When he died on June 25, 1979 at the age of 94, he had been Kentucky's oldest living former basketball player for 125 days, although his obituary noted that he was also the "oldest living K man" at the time.

Ralph Morgan June 26, 1979 February 20, 1984 4.6 years Ralph Morgan, of Covington, KY played varsity basketball at Kentucky for three seasons, scoring over 213 points in 32 games over his career. His senior year he was named captain of the basketball team. He is perhaps the first Kentucky player to pose for an action photo in basketball gear.
He graduated in 1915 with a degree in Agriculture. A few years later he served in World War I where he attained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.
Morgan later became an insurance agent with Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company where he worked for 40 years in Louisville.
Ralph Morgan died on February 20, 1984 at the age of 92.

Karl Zerfoss February 21, 1984 November 30, 1984 283 days Karl Zerfoss, of Ashland, KY was the eldest of three brothers who all played basketball for the University of Kentucky. The Zerfoss family came to Kentucky in 1888 from Pennsylvania with the patriarch (Lewis eventually settling in Ashland. Karl played all four seasons of basketball, being named captain of the team his senior year in 1916. He also participated on the football and track squads.
After University he served in the U.S. Army during World War I, attaining a rank of 1st Lieutenant before being discharged in 1919. Zerfoss later became a teacher and professor of psychology, eventually moving to Chicago. Karl Zerfoss died on November 30, 1984 in the Chicago area at the age of 91 years old.

Thomas Zerfoss December 1, 1984 August 5, 1988 3.7 years Tom Zerfoss, of Ashland, KY was Karl Zerfoss' younger brother and the older brother of George Zerfoss, who also attended and played basketball for UK.
Tom played his freshman season at UK where he averaged over ten points a game. He then transferred to Vanderbilt where he played a number of seasons for the Commodores, including in some games against his brothers (Karl and George) at UK. After graduating from Vanderbilt in 1917, he joined the American Expeditionary Forces where he spent five months on the Western Front in Europe, attaining the rank of 1st Lieutenant.
Zerfoss later returned to Vanderbilt where he and his wife, Kate Savage Zerfoss, founded the student health center where he served as director until 1976. The Student Health Center at Vanderbilt remains named after Tom Zerfoss to this day. Thomas Zerfoss died on August 5, 1988 at the age of 93 years old.

Anthony Dishman August 6, 1988 March 21, 1993 4.6 years Anthony "Tony" Dishman, of Henderson, KY was a member of the Henderson Barret Manual Training school which won the very first Kentucky High School basketball tournament championship. The tournament was held in Danville KY, but because the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) had not been formed by that time, the organization never saw fit to include it in their official results.
Dishman attended Kentucky two years later where played on the basketball team his freshman and sophomore year, while also playing football. He later transferred to Westminster College in Pennsylvania to complete his schooling.
He later got into the automobile business where he started Tri-City Oldsmobile in 1937 in Louisville, becoming a successful automotive executive and businessman. Joseph Anthony Dishman died on March 22, 1993 at the age of 94 years old.

Basil Hayden March 22, 1993 January 10, 2003 9.8 years Basil Hayden, of Paris, KY may be Kentucky's most well known oldest living Kentucky player. He was the namesake of Basil Hayden Bourbon, named after his great-great grandfather Basil Hayden Sr., who began distilling bourbon in Kentucky in 1792.
After transferring from across-town Transylvania University after his freshman season, Hayden the basketball player played three seasons for Kentucky. he also was a star on the track team setting a conference record with the javelin. He held the honor as Kentucky's very first basketball All-American, which he earned for his work in 1921, as the star of the UK team which won the very first SIAA collegiate tournament in Atlanta, Ga. His senior year he injured his knee high jumping and was not nearly as effective as his previous two years with the squad.
After graduation Hayden moved to Detroit briefly to work in the automobile industry but soon returned to Kentucky and took a job teaching at Clark County High School, then becoming an insurance agent in Richmond Ky. In 1927 he was asked to serve as a last minute replacement as coach of the Kentucky team, however the squad went 3-13, the worst result in UK basketball history.
After that he returned to insurance and later moved back to his hometown of Paris to work in banking. Basil Ewing Hayden died on January 10, 2003 at the age of 103. He has lived the longest of any former UK player.

Jake Bronston January 11, 2003 June 5, 2006 3.4 years Jake Bronston, of Lexington, KY played three seasons on the basketball team, including on Adolph Rupp's first team in 1930-31. He originally intended to play the following 1931-32 season but was determined to be ineligible because he had played a few games as a sophomore. He also played football, which was his primary sport in college.
Bronston had started working for the Greyhound bus lines in high school and continued this profession after college, eventually becoming an executive with the company, a career that spanned over 40 years.
Charles Jacob Bronston died on June 5, 2006 at the age of 96.

Ralph Kercheval June 6, 2006 October 6, 2010 4.3 years Ralph Kercheval, of Lexington, KY played four games for the UK basketball team during his junior season in the 1932-33 season. However was best known as a football player, and in particular as a punter where he set numerous Southeastern Conference records. In fact he was one of the best punters of his generation, and ended up playing profession football for the Brooklyn Dodgers over a seven-year career.
After his football career ended, Kercheval served four years in the Army during World War II as a cavalry officer, then afterwards entered the thoroughbred horse racing business where he became a successful horse trainer and breeder.
Ralph Kercheval died on October 6, 2010 at the age of 98. At the time of his passing he was the oldest living former National Football League player.

Layton Rouse October 7, 2010 April 14, 2012 1.5 years Layton "Mickey" Rouse, of Ludlow, KY played three seasons for Kentucky in the late 1930's. His senior season he was named captain of the team and during the team's post-season banquet was surprised by Coach Rupp who retired his jersey, citing his "leadership" qualities. This made Rouse the first UK player to have his jersey retired. At the time it was intended to be a temporary honor, but the honor remains to this day and his jersey can still be seen hanging in the Rupp Arena's rafters.
After Kentucky, Rouse graduated from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry and began a 40 year practice as a dentist. Rouse died on April 16, 2012 at the age of 93 years old.

Mulford Davis April 15, 2012 December 4, 2020 8.6 years Mulford "Muff" Davis, of Elwood, IN came to the University of Kentucky from Elwood High School in Indiana. Davis played on the freshman team and his sophomore year (1942-43) in Lexington before entering the U.S. Army during World War II where he served from 1942 to 1945 fighting in North Africa, Italy and Germany, earning a Purple Heart for wounds he received during the African Campaign.
After his military service Davis returned to Kentucky where he completed his two varsity seasons, getting married to his wife Martha before his senior season.
He returned to Indiana where he had a long career in secondary education. Mulford Davis died December 5, 2020 at the age of 99.
[JPS Note: Earlier that year in March of 2020, Louis Robertson, who was a few years ahead of Davis at Kentucky, died at the age of 99 years old. Robertson never held the distinction of being the oldest former UK player at any given time, but he was the 2nd oldest living UK player ever, only behind Basil Hayden.]

Adrian Back December 5, 2020 July 28, 2023 2.6 years Adrian Back, of Hodgenville, KY played one varsity season for Kentucky in 1941-42 when he was called into the Armed Services during World War II.
Back ended up joining the US Navy where he became a Naval Aviator. As part of his duties he also joined the US Navy basketball and lacrosse teams. He was named an All-American for basketball in 1945 with the Midshipmen and was a member of the Lacrosse national championship team.
After World War II Back briefly returned to his hometown of Hodgenville where he entered business and married his wife Linda, but was pulled back into the Korean War where he served until resigning his commission in 1953.
He returned to Hodgenville where he once again became a businessman as a salesman and banker. Adrian Griffith Back died on July 28, 2023 at the age of 99.

Jim Howe July 29, 2023 October 18, 2024 447 days James "Jim" Howe, of Fort Thomas, KY was recruited to attend Kentucky in both football and basketball after a stellar high school career at Fort Thomas Highlands.
Howe played five games for the basketball early in the 1944-45 season as a freshman, before being drafted into the US Army. After his Army career he returned to UK where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering, but never played varsity basketball again.
He returned to the Cincinnati area where he went into business of fabricating and selling electric process heating and temperature control products under the company "Big Chief" and raising his family.
Jim Howe died on October 18, 2024 at the age of 98.

Brown Sharp October 19, 2024 - - Brown Sharp, of Lexington, KY is currently the oldest known living former UK basketball player. Brown is the son of James Sharp who played for Kentucky in the late 1920's.
Sharp was a member of the Lexington Lafayette high school team which won the 1950 Kentucky State Championship. The team was coached by another former UK player Ralph Carlisle. A few days after the championship game Sharp and three of his teammates (Bobby Adams, Bob Mulcahy and Jimmy Wieland) all signed to play the following Fall for the University of Kentucky (although only one, Jimmy Wieland ended up playing on the UK freshman team the following year).
Sharp enrolled at UK initially but ended up spending his freshman season at Greenbrier Military Academy in Lewisburg, WV. He then returned to Kentucky his sophomore season where, while undersized at 5-foot-6, he made the team and played in one varsity game; the season opener against Washington & Lee. He graduated from UK in 1955 with a degree in Commerce, although he didn't play varsity for UK again, instead he played in local industrial semi-pro leagues.
After graduation he was inducted into the Navy and afterwards returned to Lexington where he made a career in business and agriculture.

Name	Date Started	Date Ended	Duration	Description
John Vogt	February 18, 1903	April 24, 1970	67.2 years	John Vogt, originally from Louisville KY, played a single game on Kentucky's very first basketball squad in the 1902-03 season, against the Lexington YMCA. That act was enough to establish him as the oldest living Kentucky basketball player, as with a birth date of April 2, 1880, he was the oldest player on the team at the age of 23 years old. Vogt was a multi-sport player in college, also participating in track (where he set the school outdoor record for the 880 yard run and the mile run) and football (where he was named captain his senior year). After graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1903, he moved to San Diego County, California in 1911, where he eventually ended up living in the town of Vista. Vogt died on April 24, 1970, at the age of 91.
Don Branson	April 25, 1970	February 19, 1979	8.8 years	Don Pedro Branson, from Yosemite KY, played on the 1904-05 and 1905-06 teams and like Vogt also played football and ran track, where in a meet in Danville KY in April 1906 he set a school record of "10 [seconds] flat" in the 100 yard dash, which also reportedly set a collegiate record at the time. Branson joined the US Army where he served for 27 years, becoming a Major. This included nine years serving in the Phillipines prior to World War I. He later wrote a book about his life and his time in the military. D.P. Branson died on February 19, 1979 at the age of 96, the same day Kentucky faced the University of Georgia in Athens. [Note:* If anyone is able to locate a full copy of his memoir, please let me know.]*
Thomson Bryant	February 20, 1979	June 25, 1979	125 days	Thomson Bryant, originally from Eminence KY, came to Lexington to attend the Kentucky State College Prep school. He enrolled at UK studying agriculture. He played his first three years on the basketball team, serving as captain of the team his sophomore year. He also ran track and served as head coach of the women's basketball team among other activities. Bryant did not play basketball his senior year, apparently he was busy with his duties as Senior Class President and second most popular man on campus, along with by his own admission in his senior profile of being "somewhat of a heart-smasher". After graduation Bryant eventually returned to UK and became a distinguished professor of Agriculture. When he died on June 25, 1979 at the age of 94, he had been Kentucky's oldest living former basketball player for 125 days, although his obituary noted that he was also the "oldest living K man" at the time.
Ralph Morgan	June 26, 1979	February 20, 1984	4.6 years	Ralph Morgan, of Covington, KY played varsity basketball at Kentucky for three seasons, scoring over 213 points in 32 games over his career. His senior year he was named captain of the basketball team. He is perhaps the first Kentucky player to pose for an action photo in basketball gear. He graduated in 1915 with a degree in Agriculture. A few years later he served in World War I where he attained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Morgan later became an insurance agent with Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company where he worked for 40 years in Louisville. Ralph Morgan died on February 20, 1984 at the age of 92.
Karl Zerfoss	February 21, 1984	November 30, 1984	283 days	Karl Zerfoss, of Ashland, KY was the eldest of three brothers who all played basketball for the University of Kentucky. The Zerfoss family came to Kentucky in 1888 from Pennsylvania with the patriarch (Lewis eventually settling in Ashland. Karl played all four seasons of basketball, being named captain of the team his senior year in 1916. He also participated on the football and track squads. After University he served in the U.S. Army during World War I, attaining a rank of 1st Lieutenant before being discharged in 1919. Zerfoss later became a teacher and professor of psychology, eventually moving to Chicago. Karl Zerfoss died on November 30, 1984 in the Chicago area at the age of 91 years old.
Thomas Zerfoss	December 1, 1984	August 5, 1988	3.7 years	Tom Zerfoss, of Ashland, KY was Karl Zerfoss' younger brother and the older brother of George Zerfoss, who also attended and played basketball for UK. Tom played his freshman season at UK where he averaged over ten points a game. He then transferred to Vanderbilt where he played a number of seasons for the Commodores, including in some games against his brothers (Karl and George) at UK. After graduating from Vanderbilt in 1917, he joined the American Expeditionary Forces where he spent five months on the Western Front in Europe, attaining the rank of 1st Lieutenant. Zerfoss later returned to Vanderbilt where he and his wife, Kate Savage Zerfoss, founded the student health center where he served as director until 1976. The Student Health Center at Vanderbilt remains named after Tom Zerfoss to this day. Thomas Zerfoss died on August 5, 1988 at the age of 93 years old.
Anthony Dishman	August 6, 1988	March 21, 1993	4.6 years	Anthony "Tony" Dishman, of Henderson, KY was a member of the Henderson Barret Manual Training school which won the very first Kentucky High School basketball tournament championship. The tournament was held in Danville KY, but because the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) had not been formed by that time, the organization never saw fit to include it in their official results. Dishman attended Kentucky two years later where played on the basketball team his freshman and sophomore year, while also playing football. He later transferred to Westminster College in Pennsylvania to complete his schooling. He later got into the automobile business where he started Tri-City Oldsmobile in 1937 in Louisville, becoming a successful automotive executive and businessman. Joseph Anthony Dishman died on March 22, 1993 at the age of 94 years old.
Basil Hayden	March 22, 1993	January 10, 2003	9.8 years	Basil Hayden, of Paris, KY may be Kentucky's most well known oldest living Kentucky player. He was the namesake of Basil Hayden Bourbon, named after his great-great grandfather Basil Hayden Sr., who began distilling bourbon in Kentucky in 1792. After transferring from across-town Transylvania University after his freshman season, Hayden the basketball player played three seasons for Kentucky. he also was a star on the track team setting a conference record with the javelin. He held the honor as Kentucky's very first basketball All-American, which he earned for his work in 1921, as the star of the UK team which won the very first SIAA collegiate tournament in Atlanta, Ga. His senior year he injured his knee high jumping and was not nearly as effective as his previous two years with the squad. After graduation Hayden moved to Detroit briefly to work in the automobile industry but soon returned to Kentucky and took a job teaching at Clark County High School, then becoming an insurance agent in Richmond Ky. In 1927 he was asked to serve as a last minute replacement as coach of the Kentucky team, however the squad went 3-13, the worst result in UK basketball history. After that he returned to insurance and later moved back to his hometown of Paris to work in banking. Basil Ewing Hayden died on January 10, 2003 at the age of 103. He has lived the longest of any former UK player.
Jake Bronston	January 11, 2003	June 5, 2006	3.4 years	Jake Bronston, of Lexington, KY played three seasons on the basketball team, including on Adolph Rupp's first team in 1930-31. He originally intended to play the following 1931-32 season but was determined to be ineligible because he had played a few games as a sophomore. He also played football, which was his primary sport in college. Bronston had started working for the Greyhound bus lines in high school and continued this profession after college, eventually becoming an executive with the company, a career that spanned over 40 years. Charles Jacob Bronston died on June 5, 2006 at the age of 96.
Ralph Kercheval	June 6, 2006	October 6, 2010	4.3 years	Ralph Kercheval, of Lexington, KY played four games for the UK basketball team during his junior season in the 1932-33 season. However was best known as a football player, and in particular as a punter where he set numerous Southeastern Conference records. In fact he was one of the best punters of his generation, and ended up playing profession football for the Brooklyn Dodgers over a seven-year career. After his football career ended, Kercheval served four years in the Army during World War II as a cavalry officer, then afterwards entered the thoroughbred horse racing business where he became a successful horse trainer and breeder. Ralph Kercheval died on October 6, 2010 at the age of 98. At the time of his passing he was the oldest living former National Football League player.
Layton Rouse	October 7, 2010	April 14, 2012	1.5 years	*Layton "Mickey"* Rouse*, of Ludlow, KY played three seasons for Kentucky in the late 1930's. His senior season he was named captain of the team and during the team's post-season banquet was surprised by Coach Rupp who retired his jersey, citing his "leadership"* qualities. This made Rouse the first UK player to have his jersey retired. At the time it was intended to be a temporary honor, but the honor remains to this day and his jersey can still be seen hanging in the Rupp Arena's rafters. After Kentucky, Rouse graduated from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry and began a 40 year practice as a dentist. Rouse died on April 16, 2012 at the age of 93 years old.
Mulford Davis	April 15, 2012	December 4, 2020	8.6 years	Mulford "Muff" Davis, of Elwood, IN came to the University of Kentucky from Elwood High School in Indiana. Davis played on the freshman team and his sophomore year (1942-43) in Lexington before entering the U.S. Army during World War II where he served from 1942 to 1945 fighting in North Africa, Italy and Germany, earning a Purple Heart for wounds he received during the African Campaign. After his military service Davis returned to Kentucky where he completed his two varsity seasons, getting married to his wife Martha before his senior season. He returned to Indiana where he had a long career in secondary education. Mulford Davis died December 5, 2020 at the age of 99. [JPS Note: Earlier that year in March of 2020, Louis Robertson, who was a few years ahead of Davis at Kentucky, died at the age of 99 years old. Robertson never held the distinction of being the oldest former UK player at any given time, but he was the 2nd oldest living UK player ever, only behind Basil Hayden.]
Adrian Back	December 5, 2020	July 28, 2023	2.6 years	Adrian Back, of Hodgenville, KY played one varsity season for Kentucky in 1941-42 when he was called into the Armed Services during World War II. Back ended up joining the US Navy where he became a Naval Aviator. As part of his duties he also joined the US Navy basketball and lacrosse teams. He was named an All-American for basketball in 1945 with the Midshipmen and was a member of the Lacrosse national championship team. After World War II Back briefly returned to his hometown of Hodgenville where he entered business and married his wife Linda, but was pulled back into the Korean War where he served until resigning his commission in 1953. He returned to Hodgenville where he once again became a businessman as a salesman and banker. Adrian Griffith Back died on July 28, 2023 at the age of 99.
Jim Howe	July 29, 2023	October 18, 2024	447 days	James "Jim" Howe, of Fort Thomas, KY was recruited to attend Kentucky in both football and basketball after a stellar high school career at Fort Thomas Highlands. Howe played five games for the basketball early in the 1944-45 season as a freshman, before being drafted into the US Army. After his Army career he returned to UK where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering, but never played varsity basketball again. He returned to the Cincinnati area where he went into business of fabricating and selling electric process heating and temperature control products under the company "Big Chief" and raising his family. Jim Howe died on October 18, 2024 at the age of 98.
Brown Sharp	October 19, 2024	-	-	Brown Sharp, of Lexington, KY is currently the oldest known living former UK basketball player. Brown is the son of James Sharp who played for Kentucky in the late 1920's. Sharp was a member of the Lexington Lafayette high school team which won the 1950 Kentucky State Championship. The team was coached by another former UK player Ralph Carlisle. A few days after the championship game Sharp and three of his teammates (Bobby Adams, Bob Mulcahy and Jimmy Wieland) all signed to play the following Fall for the University of Kentucky (although only one, Jimmy Wieland ended up playing on the UK freshman team the following year). Sharp enrolled at UK initially but ended up spending his freshman season at Greenbrier Military Academy in Lewisburg, WV. He then returned to Kentucky his sophomore season where, while undersized at 5-foot-6, he made the team and played in one varsity game; the season opener against Washington & Lee. He graduated from UK in 1955 with a degree in Commerce, although he didn't play varsity for UK again, instead he played in local industrial semi-pro leagues. After graduation he was inducted into the Navy and afterwards returned to Lexington where he made a career in business and agriculture.

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