February 27, 2025
Bill Cosby at Rupp Arena, 1981
Comedian Bill Cosby performed at Rupp Arena on Sept. 12, 1981. Cosby was in town as part of IBM’s celebration of 25 years in Lexington. The company had a series of luncheons and special events through the week that culminated with Cosby’s performance at Rupp in front of thousands of employees. Up With People, an education organization that aims to bring the world together through service and music, also performed during the two-hour show. On Dec. 30, 2015, the comedian was charged in a sexual assault case. Photo by Ron Garrison | Staff
Pineville Burger Queen, 1980
The Burger Queen in Pineville was a popular lunch spot, including two coal trucks that stopped at the Bell County restaurant on June 24, 1980. Photo by David Perry | Staff
UK football wins Music City Bowl, 2006
University of Kentucky coach Rich Brooks got a Gatorade bath after the Cats defeated Clemson, 28-20, on Dec. 29, 2006, in the Music City Bowl at LP Field in Nashville. A Music City Bowl record 68,024 fans witnessed UK’s first bowl victory in 22 years thanks to MVP Andre Woodson’s 299 yards passing and three touchdowns. UK would make another trip to the Music City Bowl the next year, beating Florida State, 35-28. Photo by Charles Bertram | Staff
Rupp Arena construction, 1975
Aerial photo of downtown Lexington, January 1975. Near the bottom is the Lexington Center and Rupp Arena construction. What would later become Triangle Park is just to the left and above the construction. Vine Street is visible up the middle of the photo. Just to the right of that is High Street, running from the bottom to the top of the picture. Click here to see another view of Rupp Arena construction from a couple of months earlier in November, 1974. And click here to see a gallery of 80 images celebrating the 40 year history of the legendary downtown arena. Click on the image for a closer look. Photo by E. Martin Jessee | Staff
Christmas gift returns at Target, 1994
The line for returns and exchanges was long but moved steadily on Dec. 26, 1994, at the Target store on West Reynolds Road in Lexington. Deana Hawkins, 36, a Frankfort nurse, took cash when she exchanged a Shaq-Fu video game at the store just off Nicholasville Road. It was a gift for Hawkins’ daughter. “We just got two of them,” she said. “Santa got one, and someone else got her one.” The game cost $54, Hawkins said, so “Santa’s getting her money back.” Photo by Greg Perry
UK’s Rick Pitino vs. U of L, 1995
Kentucky coach Rick Pitino talked with forward Antoine Walker during the No. 4 Wildcats’ 89-66 win over No. 25 Louisville on Dec. 23, 1995, at Rupp Arena in Lexington. Walker had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and guard Tony Delk had 30 points while guiding the Cats to their seventh win of the season. UK would finish the year 34-2 and claim the program’s sixth national title. During his eight years at Kentucky, Pitino had a 6-2 record against the Cardinals. As the coach at Louisville for the past 14 seasons, he has a record of 5-11 against the Cats. Photo by Frank Anderson | Staff
U of L’s Denny Crum vs. Kentucky, 1996
Louisville coach Denny Crum was upset at a call during the second half of No. 16 Louisville’s 74-54 loss to No. 3 Kentucky on Dec. 31, 1996, at Freedom Hall in Louisville. The legendary coach of the Cardinals guided Louisville from 1971 to 2001, compiling a 675–295 record with two NCAA championships (1980, 1986) and six Final Fours. During his 30-year career, Crum was 7-13 against Kentucky. Photo by David Perry | Staff
Haggin children featured on Christmas section, 1964
Margaret Gay Haggin, 2, and Louis Lee Haggin IV, 5, read “The Night Before Christmas” in front of the fireplace at the Hunt-Morgan House in December 1964. Margaret and Louis are the children of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Lee Haggin III of Lexington. They were recruited to pose for the cover photo of a pre-Christmas section published in the Lexington Herald on Dec. 20, 1964. Photo by John C. Wyatt | Staff
Filling food baskets for Christmas, 1945
Mrs. Roy Jennings filled one of 400 baskets of food collected by the Goodfellows Club of Everybody’s Church for distribution to Lexington’s needy at Christmas time. Mrs. Jennings had been a member of the Goodfellows Club for 12 years. Published in the Lexington Herald-Leader on Dec. 23, 1945. Herald-Leader Archive Photo
Trucker’s Santas, 1984
Tommy Bush of Superton, Ga., adjusted his twin light-up Santas on the grill of his 18-wheeler on Dec. 17, 1984. “The kids love it,” said Bush, who worked for Wooten Transport Inc. and was in Lexington picking up a load of waste paper from the Herald-Leader. Photo by Steven R. Nickerson | Staff
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Kentucky.com news feed
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