LEXINGTON, Ky., — The Kentucky Proud Evenings series continues on Monday, March 25, with historian James Duane Bolin, author of “Adolph Rupp and the Rise of Kentucky Basketball.” Fayette County Cooperative Extension Service hosts the free monthly series, which celebrates Kentucky’s rich literary culture with author discussions and samples from Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud recipes.

Known as the “Man in the Brown Suit” and the “Baron of the Bluegrass,” Rupp figures prominently in the history of college athletics. His teams won four NCAA championships, one National Invitational Tournament title and 27 Southeastern Conference regular season titles. Yet, Rupp’s influence on the game of college basketball and on his adopted home of Kentucky is much broader than his impressive record on the court.

Starting with Rupp’s childhood in his German Mennonite family in rural Kansas, Bolin follows Rupp through his college years at the University of Kansas to his years coaching at the University of Kentucky. Bolin’s research encompassed more than 100 interviews with the coach, his assistant coaches, former players, UK presidents and faculty members and Rupp’s admirers and critics. Using court transcripts, newspaper accounts and other archival materials, the result of Bolin’s extensive research is the fullest account of Rupp’s life to date.

Bolin is a professor emeritus of history at Murray State University and is the author of “Home and Away: A Professor’s Journal,” “Bossism and Reform in a Southern City: Lexington, Kentucky, 1880-1940” and “Kentucky Baptists, 1925-2000: A Story of Cooperation.”

“No preparation or prior reading is required. This talk should fascinate anyone interested in UK basketball. Mr. Bolin will introduce us to the man inside the familiar courtside figure,” said Liz Kingsland, Fayette County family and consumer sciences extension agent.

Kentucky Proud Evenings begin at 6 p.m. at the Fayette County Extension office, 1140 Harry Sykes Way in Lexington.

Make reservations for the event by calling the Fayette County Extension office at 859-257-5582. Bolin will be signing copies of “Adolph Rupp and the Rise of Kentucky Basketball,” which will be available for sale that evening.

UK Cooperative Extension Service is part of the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, which is dedicated to improving people's lives through excellence in education, research and outreach.