The history of sports in Northern Kentucky goes back a long way. A very long way. Decades. Centuries.
We know you’ve seen these lists before, but this is a different and unique way of presenting our “50 sports icons in Northern Kentucky” as we’ll provide you one per day over the next 50 days.
Hall of Fames are everywhere in NKY, the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, High School Athletic Directors Hall of Fame, NKU, Thomas More and local high schools all have something to recognize their past.
We’ll preface this series by saying this, some of you may disagree with who should or shouldn’t be in the top 50 and that’s fine. Plenty are in the Hall of Very Good, but we feel these 50 are the one’s who stuck out to us.
Sports Editor Evan Dennison spoke and conferred with several local NKY sports history buffs to get their opinions and lists of their own and who should be “locks” for the 50 sports icons. We compiled each list and came up with the 50 of our own (maybe cheated a little by putting families in as one) to present over the next 50 days.
Hope you enjoy as summer time rolls on!
The 31st of the 50 sports icons is Tom Thacker, who attended William Grant High School and went on to star at the University of Cincinnati in basketball.
TOM THACKER
Tom Thacker, a native of Covington, Kentucky, was one of the most accomplished and versatile basketball players of his era. He starred at William Grant High School, where he averaged over 30 points per game. He began his successful career earning all-tournament recognition as a freshman at the Kentucky High School Athletic League’s state tournament. The next three years, he earned the same honor at the KHSAA’s Sweet 16®. He earned All-State mention in both his junior and senior seasons, averaging 31.7 and 33.8 points per game, respectively. Many rated him the best sophomore in the state of Kentucky, and by his senior year, he was a finalist for Mr. Basketball honors.
Thacker then joined the University of Cincinnati and helped usher in one of the most dominant stretches in college basketball history. A three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection, Thacker played in three consecutive NCAA championship games, winning titles in 1961 and ’62 over top-ranked Ohio State and narrowly missing a third in ’63. He earned consensus All-America honors as a senior and graduated with over 1,100 career points.
Drafted by the Cincinnati Royals as a territorial pick in 1963, Thacker played seven professional seasons, including stints with the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers. He won an NBA championship with Boston in 1968 and an ABA title with the Pacers in 1970, becoming the only player in history to win championships in the NCAA, NBA, and ABA.
Beyond his playing days, Thacker made history off the court as well. He earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UC and became the university’s first Black head coach when he took over the women’s basketball program in 1974. His coaching record included three winning seasons over four years. He remained active with youngsters, conducting summer and midnight basketball leagues and other youth sports programs in the Greater Cincinnati area.
A pioneer, champion, and trailblazer, Tom Thacker’s impact on basketball spans generations. He is a member of multiple halls of fame, including those of UC, Northern Kentucky, and Ohio basketball, a testament to his excellence both on and off the court.
See the 50 sports icons on a day-to-day basis over the next 50 days
— Day 1: Dave Cowens
— Day 2: Shaun Alexander
— Day 3: Homer Rice
— Day 4: Dicky Beal
— Day 5: Jared Lorenzen
— Day 6: Jim Bunning
— Day 7: Tom Ellis
— Day 8: Nate Dusing
— Day 9: Jim Connor
— Day 10: Steve Cauthen
— Day 11: Irv Goode
— Day 12: Stan Steidel
— Day 13: Kenney Shields
— Day 14: David Justice
— Day 15: Morgan Hentz
— Day 16: Eddie Arcaro
— Day 17: Nancy Winstel
— Day 18: Steve Flesch
— Day 19: Donna Murphy
— Day 20: Randy Marsh
— Day 21: Mike Yeagle
— Day 22: Derrick Barnes
— Day 23: Dale Mueller
— Day 24: Dave Faust
— Day 25: Kirsten Allen
— Day 26: The Oldendick family
— Day 27: Martin “Mote” Hils
— Day 28: Nell Fookes
— Day 29: Owen Hauck
— Day 30: Becky Ruehl
— Day 31: Tom Thacker
— Day 32: Sydney Moss
— Day 33: Bob Schneider
— Day 34: The Walz family
— Day 35: John Toebben
— Day 36: Pat Scott
— Day 37: Bob Arnzen
— Day 38: Joan Mazzaro
— Day 39: Frank Jacobs
— Day 40: Adrienne Hundemer
— Day 41: The Draud family
— Day 42: Bill Krumpelbeck
— Day 43: The Molony family
— Day 44: Allen Feldhaus
— Day 45: The Maile family
— Day 46: Maureen Egan Corl
— Day 47: Bill Aker
— Day 48: Maureen Kaiser
— Day 49: John Brannen
— Day 50: Mike Bankemper