Last night former Kentucky Wildcat C.M. Newton died at the age of 88. Newton was a National Champion on the basketball court, a pitcher on the baseball diamond and the football field bears his name. That’s just a small sample of what Newton accomplished during his incredible life in athletics.
Widely regarded as the man who helped save Kentucky basketball, as UK’s athletic director he convinced Rick Pitino to leave the New York Knicks to resurrect the probation-plagued basketball program. He hired UK’s first men’s and women’s basketball African-American head coaches, and integrated the University of Alabama’s men’s basketball team.