Original Hometown Hero Denny Crum honored with new banners

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - On NCAA Selection Sunday, the Greater Louisville Pride Foundation’s Hometown Heroes banner program celebrated the installation of the new Denny Crum banners on the Whiskey Row Lofts building.

Coach Crum was one of the original honorees from the 20-year-old program whose banner had been removed from its previous location due to construction.

“With the Hometown Heroes 2.0 relaunch of the popular program, we announced our two-fold mission,” GLPF President Mike Sheehy said. “Honor new Louisville heroes and work to refresh some of Louisville’s most iconic Hometown Heroes banners that have come down due to construction or faded with time.

Crum was head coach at the University of Louisville from 1971 to 2001, creating a college program that dominated the 1980s. He also guided the Cardinals to six NCAA Final Four appearances and led Louisville to the 1980 and 1986 national championships.

During his career, Crum was named Coach of the Year three times as well as Metro Conference Coach of the Year four times.

Crum’s Cardinals won 12 regular season Metro Conference championships and 11 conference tournaments. He led Louisville to 23 NCAA Tournament berths and three 30-win seasons.

“With the tremendous legacy Coach Crum built with the U of L Basketball program, it seemed appropriate to unveil Denny’s banners today,” Sheehy said. “On this day when we move our clocks ahead, we, along with the entire Louisville community, will ‘Spring Forward’ as we anticipate the future success of the U of L Basketball program built on the incredible legacy and program Coach Crum built at Louisville.”

GLPF said they thank the die-hard Louisville basketball fans and owners of the Whiskey Row Lofts for allowing the banners to be there. They also thank the group of Coach Crum’s former players and fans who donated funds for the banners.

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