Pete Moore Brings the Union College Bulldogs to Prominence in the 1960s

UNION COLLEGE TO HONOR COACH PETE MOORE ON HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY. The Museum Corner looked back at the 1964 – 1965 basketball season as was told in the 1965 Yearbook, the Stespean. Our sincerest congratulations to Coach Moore on his stellar coaching career and on celebrating his 90th birthday.

UNION WINS FIRST KIAC CHAMPIONSHIP: At the beginning of the 1964-1965 basketball season the Union College Bulldogs were classified in the role of a dark horse by the coaches of the KIAC (Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.) This proved to be the perfect prognostication as the Bulldogs surprised many followers, and shocked others, while proceeding to capture the school’s first KIAC Conference Crown, posting a nifty 22 – 8 record.
The season started on November 28, 1964. This was Homecoming weekend, marked by the dedication of the new physical education building. The Bulldogs took pride in their new home and defeated Knoxville College as Ron Phipps and Harry Loy each contributed eighteen points. The second game of the year saw the ‘Dogs travel to Villa Madonna to play the Rebels, pre-season favorites to capture the conference crown. With Bob Cox showing the way, Union swept to a 72 – 63 win. Rio Grande proved to be the first stumbling block of the year as they nipped the ‘Dogs 79 – 78 despite 26 points by the sharpshooting Cox. Union returned to the home court and claimed a 70 – 58 victory over Hanover in a poorly played game. On December 7, 1964, exactly twenty – three years after Pearl Harbor, the Bulldogs took a bombing in their own right from major college power Xavier University 96 – 66. However, they showed the true beginnings of a ball club in this game and gave Xavier all they could handle for fifteen minutes.

DOGS UPSET WESTERN CAROLINA IN TOURNAMENT PLAY: The Western Carolina Tournament was the next event scheduled for the Bulldogs. On the first night they defeated outclassed Campbell College of North Carolina 66 – 43. The next night they met a previous conqueror, Rio Grande, but with the shooting guards hitting consistently, Union outlasted Rio 63 – 61. Thus, they were pitted against unbeaten Western Carolina in the championship game. Down 65 – 50 with six minutes remaining, the ‘Dogs, led by Harry Loy, put on their greatest comeback of the year to defeat the Catamounts 81 – 76 in overtime. Significant in this tournament was the outstanding rebounding of Bill Trent, who established himself as one of the best in the 24th district.
As the rest of the student body left for home and the Christmas holidays, the Bulldogs traveled to Kentucky State, where the Thorobreds rolled to an easy 84 – 64 victory. The Lincoln Memorial Tournament was next, and Carson Newman, fifth ranked small college power, the foe. With Phipps injured, the ‘Dogs lost 69 – 51. Union defeated Lincoln Memorial in the consolation game 74 – 61.
This victory started Union on a nine-game winning streak and moved them into first place in the KIAC. Knoxville College was the second victim in the string as they bowed 84 – 71. Pikeville succumbed 78 – 70, as Willie Trent bombed the bucket for a career high of 24 points. Centre became the fourth victim, 80 – 64, with Phipps hitting 13 of 19 floor shots and scoring 31 points. Berea fell 74 – 69, and Campbellsville was defeated easily 90 – 70. The Bulldogs now looked forward to the make-or-break week with Georgetown, Villa Madonna, and second place Transylvania – all at home.

BULLDOGS POST TWENTY WINS FOR ANOTHER FIRST: Georgetown went down to defeat 78 – 76 for the first Union triumph in the last five meetings with the Tigers. The Bulldogs topped Villa Madonna for the second time this season and thus entered the Transylvania game with an overall 15 – 4 record and a perfect 5 – 0 record in the KIAC. The Dogs played a tremendous fifteen minutes and led the Pioneers 33 – 19 when they began playing as individuals. At the same time, their shooting turned as cold as the winter weather outside, and Transy took advantage of the situation to outscore Union 41 – 16 the rest of the way, claiming a 60 – 49 victory and throwing the conference race into a tie. The Dogs had to bounce back and bounce back they did, as they edged Berea 64 – 63. Union returned to the friendly confines of the home floor and rolled to an easy 87 – 80 win over non-conference foe Centre as Ron Phipps bucketed 35 points. Pikeville again bowed to the gunning guards’ barrage 71 – 63. The Dogs were now rolling toward their peak of the year. In one of the most exciting games of the season, they defeated Transylvania 76 – 73 in overtime to clinch that coveted first conference championship. The Dogs traveled to Georgetown for their last conference game of the year and were defeated 82 – 73 in overtime. In the final two games of the regular season, Bob Cox led a balanced attack as first Campbellsville and then Kentucky State, in Union’s finest game of the year, bowed to the still-hungry Bulldogs. The team thus became the school’s first twenty-game winner.

UNION BOWS IN PLAYOFF ACTION: The KIAC Tournament was next on the agenda. With the Bulldogs in the upper bracket, they rolled to easy wins over Pikeville 87 – 74 and Villa Madonna 97 – 74. The Villa game marked the career high of 40 points for the stellar guard Ron Phipps. Then, in the final against Transylvania, with Trent grabbing fifteen rebounds and Willie Freeman hitting with uncanny consistency, the Dogs moved into a 22 – 21 halftime lead. In the second half another one of Union’s cold streaks put them behind by five points with a minute and a half remaining when suddenly the tide changed and with two seconds Trent tied the score on a tip-in. A referee’s error and a desperation shot gave Transy the game, 55 – 53 and the Tournament championship. With this game when Union’s heart.
A tired group of players took the floor against Tennessee Belmont in the first round of the District 24 playoffs. With Belmont running their plays flawlessly and getting the easy shot, Union was simply outclassed on this particular night. It marked the end to a great season that had brought fond memories to many and hopes for many more in the future. With no losses from graduation, the outlook is indeed bright.

Over the years Union has remained a basketball contender in conference play as well as during tournament time. Thank you, Coach Moore, for positioning Union solidly in the middle of basketball greatness in Kentucky!