Interview with James G. "Jim" LeMaster, October 31, 2018
Project: University of Kentucky Athletics: Men's Basketball Oral History Project
Interview Summary
Jim LeMaster played basketball for the University of Kentucky from 1964-1968. In this interview, he discusses his recruitment in high school and playing on the freshman team at UK. In his sophomore season, the team was given the moniker "Rupp's Runts" and played in the Final Four against Texas Western College, who started five African American players against UK's five white starters. LeMaster describes the season leading up to that game and describes that game in detail. Throughout the interview, he discusses Rupp's talents as a recruiter and a coach, Rupp's game strategies, his focus on fundamentals and offense, and his intensity, and Rupp's personality and attitude. He compares Rupp to other coaches, including Bobby Knight, Vince Lombardi, and his own assistant coaches Harry Lancaster and Joe B. Hall. He discusses the relationships between Rupp, Lancaster, and Hall. LeMaster talks about Coach Rupp's attitude about being forced to retire at age 70. LeMaster describes his four years playing basketball at UK before becoming a lawyer and the Kentucky House Majority Leader.Interview Accession
Interviewee Name
Interviewer Name
Interview Date
Interview LC Subject
Basketball Basketball coaches--Kentucky Basketball players Basketball players--Kentucky Basketball--Coaching Coaches (Athletics) Coaching (Athletics). College athletes College students--Social conditions Kentucky Wildcats (Basketball team) Lexington (Ky.) Rupp, Adolph, 1901-1977 Sports University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--Basketball African American basketball players African Americans--Sports African Americans--Segregation African Americans--Social conditions. Race relations--Kentucky IntegrationInterview Rights
All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.Interview Usage
Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.Restriction
Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.
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LeMaster, James G. Interview by Dennis Emery. 31 Oct. 2018. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
LeMaster, J.G. (2018, October 31). Interview by D. Emery. University of Kentucky Athletics: Men's Basketball Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
LeMaster, James G., interview by Dennis Emery. October 31, 2018, University of Kentucky Athletics: Men's Basketball Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
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