Presented by Kentucky Humanities, Ed Smith portrays Adolph Rupp. This program is part of Kentucky Legends, a series exploring our state's culture, history, and lore.
Kentucky Humanities and the Lexington Public Library present Ed Smith as Adolph Rupp
During the 42 years he coached at the University of Kentucky, Adolph Rupp raised basketball to near-religious status in the Commonwealth. Basketball took its place next to horses, coal, and bourbon as one of the cultural icons that characterizes the state. Rupp’s teams won 880 games, four national championships and one Olympic gold medal. The University of Kentucky hired Rupp in 1930. Rupp’s genius for public relations and his team’s winning ways combined to make Kentucky basketball a statewide phenomenon. There was a flip side to all this success — the Kentucky team was suspended for the 1952-53 season after a point-shaving scandal, and Rupp was heavily criticized for taking so long to integrate his program.
Edward Smith portrays Adolph Rupp for Kentucky Chautauqua. A Kentucky native, Smith earned a bachelor of arts degree from Georgetown College, a master of arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, all in performance studies. He teaches theatre and film classes at Georgetown College, where he is a professor and chair of the Department of Theatre and Film. In addition to his work adapting Kentucky literature for the stage, Smith is an award-winning filmmaker.
Kentucky Chautauqua is an exclusive presentation of Kentucky Humanities with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and from: Christina Lee Brown, the Carson-Myre Charitable Foundation, and PNC. Kentucky Humanities is a non-profit Kentucky corporation affiliated with the National Endowment for the Humanities. For more information, visit kyhumanities.org or call (859) 257-5932.
Registration suggested.
AGE GROUP: | Seniors | Middle School | High School | Families | Adults |
EVENT TYPE: | Plays, Music & Other Performances | Local History |
The Central Library is located on East Main Street in downtown Lexington next to Phoenix Park.