Bill Smith Passed Away, Who was Bill Smith? What Happened to Bill Smith? How Did Former Kentucky Basketball Player Bill Smith Die?
by Ayisha
Updated Jul 20, 2023
Bill Smith Passed Away
Bill Smith, the former Kentucky basketball player, passed away at the age of 87 in the inpatient facility of South Central Indiana Hospice School, as announced on July 19, Wednesday. Born on February 17, 1936, in Walton, Kentucky, he played for Walton-Verona High School before joining the Kentucky Wildcats for four seasons until 1958.
Although he played a limited role during his time at the university and never secured a spot in the starting lineup, Coach Adolph Rupp recognized his valuable contribution to the team's success in a letter of recommendation.
Smith was part of the British national championship team from 1957 to 1958, nicknamed "Fiddlin' Five," which had 11 out of 12 players from Kentucky and achieved victory over Seattle with a score of 84-72, securing their fourth title.
Despite averaging 1.4 points per game throughout his career, Smith's passion for the sport and dedication to hard work made his college years at Kentucky the best of his life, as he once expressed in a 2016 interview.
After his time in Kentucky, Bill Smith became a teacher and high school basketball coach for 11 years before working in customer service at Owen County Rural Electric for 28 years until his retirement in 1998.
He remained a lifelong supporter of the Wildcats, owning a season ticket to their basketball games, and enjoyed fishing during his spare time. Survived by his wife, Shirley, three children, 11 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren, Smith's accomplishments and contributions to the Kentucky basketball program will always be remembered and cherished.
Who was Bill Smith?
Bill Smith was a former basketball player who played for the University of Kentucky during the late 1950s. Born on February 17, 1936, in Walton, Kentucky, he honed his basketball skills at Walton-Verona High School before joining the Kentucky Wildcats for a four-season stint until 1958.
Though he didn't have a prominent role in the team's starting lineup, his dedication and commitment to the program earned him praise from Coach Adolph Rupp, who acknowledged Smith's valuable contribution to the team's overall success.
Notably, he was part of the famous "Fiddlin' Five," the British national championship team of 1957 to 1958, which included 11 players from Kentucky and secured their fourth title by defeating Seattle with a score of 84-72.
Despite his limited scoring during his college career, Smith cherished his time at the University of Kentucky, considering it the best four years of his life. After his basketball journey, Bill Smith pursued a career as a teacher and high school basketball coach for 11 years.
Later, he transitioned to a customer service position at Owen County Rural Electric, where he worked for 28 years until his retirement in 1998. Throughout his life, Smith remained a devoted supporter of the Wildcats, holding a season ticket to their basketball games, and enjoying fishing during his leisure time.
His legacy in the Kentucky basketball program will always be remembered, and he is survived by his wife, Shirley, three children, 11 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.
Is Bill Smith Dead or Alive?
Bill Smith, the former Kentucky basketball player, passed away at the age of 87. He died at Our Hospice of South Central Indiana Inpatient Facility. The school announced his passing on Wednesday.
Born on February 17, 1936, in Walton, Kentucky, Smith had a successful basketball career at Walton-Verona High School before joining the Kentucky Wildcats and playing for four seasons until 1958.
Despite playing a limited role during his time at the university and never being a starter, Smith's dedication and contribution to the team's success were acknowledged by Coach Adolph Rupp in a letter of recommendation.
Throughout his life, he remained a devoted supporter of the Wildcats, owning a season ticket to their basketball games and finding joy in fishing during his leisure time. Smith is survived by his wife of 66 years, Shirley, three children, 11 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.
What Happened to Bill Smith?
Bill Smith, the former Kentucky basketball player, passed away at the age of 87 at Our Hospice of South Central Indiana Inpatient Facility. The announcement was made by the school on Wednesday. Born on February 17, 1936, in Walton, Kentucky, Smith had a successful basketball journey that began at Walton-Verona High School.
He then went on to play for the Kentucky Wildcats for four seasons, from 1954 to 1958. During his college career, he was part of the famous "Fiddlin' Five," the 1957-58 national championship team for the UK, which achieved victory over Seattle with a score of 84-72 under Coach Adolph Rupp's guidance.
Notably, most of the players on this championship-winning team were from Kentucky. Although Smith played a limited role during his time at the University of Kentucky and was never a starter, his dedication, and loyalty to the program were highly praised by Coach Rupp in a letter of recommendation.
Rupp acknowledged Smith's valuable contribution to the team's success and even expressed the temptation to keep him around after graduation to help with the team due to his fine attitude and dedication. Smith had an average of 1.4 points per game throughout his career, with a career-high of 10 points in a game against Georgia during his sophomore season.
He cherished his time at the university, considering it the best four years of his life and a lesson in the value of hard work leading to success. After his college basketball journey, Bill Smith was later inducted into the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame.
He pursued a career in teaching and high school basketball coaching for 11 years before working in customer service at Owen County Rural Electric for 28 years until his retirement in 1998.
Throughout his life, Smith remained a dedicated supporter of the Wildcats, owning a season ticket to their basketball games, and enjoying fishing during his leisure time. He leaves behind a legacy of achievements and will always be remembered for his significant impact on the Kentucky basketball program.
Bill Smith is survived by his wife of 66 years, Shirley, three children, 11 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. As per the online obituary, no service is currently planned.
How Did Former Kentucky Basketball Player Bill Smith Die?
There is no information provided about the exact cause of former Kentucky basketball player Bill Smith's death. It only states that he passed away at the age of 87 at Our Hospice of South Central Indiana Inpatient Facility, as announced by the school on Wednesday.
No further details about the circumstances or cause of his passing were mentioned in the provided information. Therefore, without additional information beyond what was previously given, it is not possible to determine how Bill Smith died.
Bill Smith Passed Away - FAQs
Bill Smith was a former basketball player who played for the University of Kentucky during the late 1950s. He was born on February 17, 1936, in Walton, Kentucky, and had a successful high school career at Walton-Verona High School before joining the Kentucky Wildcats.
Bill Smith passed away at the age of 87.
Bill Smith passed away on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.
Bill Smith passed away at the inpatient facility of South Central Indiana Hospice School.
Bill Smith played a limited role during his four seasons at the University of Kentucky and never secured a spot in the starting lineup.