by MATT HUGHES
J-E News Editor
Although he is better known these days as President of the Dixon Bank, Frank Ramsey’s career as a basketball player has not been forgotten, a fact that was proven once again last week when he was honored by the Kentucky State Senate after being selected to the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of fame.
The senate voted unanimously to approve Senate Resolution 318, which recognizing Ramsey’s achievements.
“We are very proud of Frank Ramsey in Madisonville and it is a privilege to pay tribute to him in the Senate,” said Senator Jerry Rhoads who sponsored Senate Resolution 318. “He is a living legend in Madisonville, where his illustrious career began -- but that career did not end in Western Kentucky. He had a very illustrious sports career and brought honor to his community and state.”
While at Madisonville High School in the late forties, Ramsey, a native of Corydon, was a basketball standout. He led the Maroons to back-to-back Sweet Sixteen appearances in 1948 and 1949 and earned all-state honors both seasons.
He went on to star with the University of Kentucky where he was known as “The Kentucky Colonel.” He was a member of Adolph Rupp’s 1951 national championship team, averaging 10 points and 13 rebounds per game. He went on to be a key contributor on two more strong UK squads, and, as a senior was co-captain of the 1953-54 team that won 25 games without a single loss. He was selected as All-American in 1952 and 1954. He also was a member of the UK baseball team, earning All-SEC honors in 1951, 1952 and 1953.
After college, Ramsey spent two years in the military before joining the Boston Celtics in what was then just a fledgling National Basketball Association (NBA).
“We didn’t know anything about pro ball then,” Ramsey said during an interview last year. “We went to college to get an education.”
The NBA in fact didn’t come into being until 1949, and by the 1953-54 season when the Celtics drafted him, there were only eight NBA teams.
“The NBA was in its infancy then and Boston was a hockey town,” Ramsey said. “Tickets were $2.50 a piece. The arena seated 13,909. Hockey sold it out. We averaged about 5,000 people in the same building.”
In his eight seasons in Boston, he was part of an eight Eastern Division and seven NBA championship teams, joining such NBA greats as John Havlicek, K.C. Jones and Bill Russell as the backbone of a Celtics dynasty that has been unmatched to this day. In Boston the fans new him as “The Sixth Man”, always ready to come off the bench and contribute.
He retired from basketball at the age of 34. In his 623 games in the NBA, Ramsey scored 8,378 points for an average of 13.4 points per game over his career.
“From his exemplary high school, collegiate and professional careers, Frank became one of the most decorated athletes ever to grace a basketball court in the commonwealth of Kentucky,” said Senator Rhoads. “It is quite fitting that he be selected to the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame.”
Ramsey is part of a 16-member hall of fame class that includes such Kentucky greats as Jack Givens, Vernon Hatton and Todd May. This is the third Hall of Fame class and brings the total inductees to 49 members.
“We offer our congratulations to Frank Ramsey and commend him for his many achievements and the mark he left on the sport of basketball,” Senator Rhoads said.
When the Senate adjourned on Wednesday, it did so in honor of Frank Ramsey.
Ramsey has been President of Dixon Bank for forty years. In 1982 he was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.