Kentucky Basketball: Former Wildcat Melvin Turpin Commits Suicide
by Glenn Logan on Jul 8, 2010 6:54 PM EDT
in Kentucky Wildcats Basketball
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PrintVia Matt Jones on Twitter. Also this WLEX report, via Ken.
More details as they become available. Our prayers go out to the Turpin family.
UPDATES:
- Matt Jones has some thoughts.
- Statement from UK.
- Bret Dawson of the Courier-Journal with the report of Melvin Turpin's apparent suicide.
- The Cleveland Plain Dealer remembers a former Cleveland Cavalier.
- The Lexington Herald-Leader report.
- Larry Vaught's report.
- Rush the Court
- Coach Cal
- Nation of Blue
- Straitpinkie
- Bluegrass State Basketball
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Rest in peace Mel. God be with you.
I AM THE CAT......The Cat In The Hat!!!
by ALLBLUCAT on Jul 8, 2010 7:17 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Such sad news.
Mel was quite a player for Joe B. Many happy memories of him taking over when Sam Bowie got sidelined.
RIP
Goodbye Mel
A man among men. His time with the Big Blue means his days will live on in Bluegrass memories forever. One of our own. RIP
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
One of my favorite players from that era
I loved the old UK-Auburn match-ups with Turp against Barkley. I also remember the great 40+ point eruption by Turpin against UT. Great player for the Cats…he will be missed.
Words Escape Me
I know he has wife, what about children? Wasn’t he employed by UK in some fashion? I still have video of the Senior Day game vs LSU, will have to review it.
Hasn’t been a great year for a few Old Cats.
(So U.S. voters did) "The gazing populace receive greedily, without examination, whatever soothes superstition and promotes wonder." - David Hume
He Has At Least One Son
Good enough to be recruited by UK and Louisville.
by FortyYearCatFan on Jul 8, 2010 9:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Kiel And Melissa Turpin
http://commercial-news.com/sports/x434655258/Turpin-is-a-fast-riser?keyword=secondarystory He has son and daughter who live in Central Illinois.
by FortyYearCatFan on Jul 8, 2010 9:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Kiel...
I read that story or one very similar to it back during the TJ hoopla. I do remember that
he had to wait until August to commit. Something to do with his being a JUCO. He also
is a JUCO 1st team AA and the team he played for won the JUCO National Championship and he was awared the tournament MVP.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
Words....
Boy ain’t that the truth. Wish I had that LSU game for my collection. Have a good night WW.
Happy days are here again,
The skies are Wildcat Blue again,
We've got the best recruits again,
Happy days are here again.
Terrible TERRIBLE News
Let’s remember http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Players/Turpin_Melvin.html what a great Wildcat he was.
2x A-A and 3x All-SEC. More than 1500 career points.
RIP Mel
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way...
Oh NO! My prayer is that the family feels God's loving arms around them in there time of need.
You wonder at a time like this what the Big Blue Nation could do to honor Melvin and console the family.
Hopefully there will be .....
a game in which Mel will be honored and remembered this season. The reactions to the sad news have been universal in recognizing Mel’s qualities as a person as well as his basketball ability. All the current players should be introduced to the legacy of a truly “Gentle Giant” and the fact that the Big Blue Nation will always have a place for them in their hearts.
Unfortunately
with the situation of his death being what it was, I’m not sure the University could do an “official” game tribute or anything like that. Maybe the players could do something personal for him though such as playing with black armbands or something…just a thought.
It is not worth an intelligent man’s time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that.
by kentuckygirl0724 on Jul 9, 2010 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Sad news..
My heart goes out to his family and y’all here at ASB.
by JunctionCrimson on Jul 8, 2010 10:08 PM EDT reply actions
Thank you for stopping by.
It is appreciated.
A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan
so sad
For several years I have run into him at Kroger’s and I would always say hi and he would smile and nod back. For the longest time we were both at the juice section at the same time. Made us laugh. He never “new” me but we would wave when I would pass him at his house. I always had a feeling he had lots on his mind. I wondered about how the mind handles the highs of his 20’s compared to the slow lane of suburban middle class. A man that size and that known must feel like the world is a fish bowl.I tried to never act like a fan but more a neighbor.
I remember seeing him at a friend’s car wash on midland in high school and him in his crap-ola caprice. Then the week after his last game he was livin large in his new Z28.
Now I am running through my mind looking for signs that a passer by could have seen.
I was a fan from the day he came to my middle school and put on a dunk show after he signed for UK.
So sad. So, so sad.
Changing how you think will change what you think.
by wilson452 on Jul 8, 2010 10:16 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
One of my all-time fave UK players
He was on one of my favorite UK teams growing up (’84-still remember that big calendar/schedule poster with he and Bowie as the Twin Towers that my dad brought home from Ashland Oil) and he was a home bred which is always a little more special. Always seemed like such a nice guy too. He will be missed. Rest well.
MnPDX
I was a huge fan
Even when he was at Bryan Station.. I watched him in the LIT and knew then he would be tough to stop. Heck of a sense of humor. I played a pick up game at the Blue Courts in 85’ which he was present (didn’t see him play there though), where he was giving everyone out there a large dose of ribbing..all in good fun of course.
"all the way"
This is such sad and terrible news...
He was a great player on a great Kentucky team; I remember that era so well. His family is in my prayers, that God will heal and give comfort. Also my condolences to everyone here in the UK family.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti
Thanks for the kind words
And on a seperate note, thinking back on a couple of the threads where we got into it…..I believe that I went over the top, and I’d like to appologize if I was too big of a jerk.
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, is just a freight train coming your way...
No problem....
I guess things like this help us realize how silly we can be sometimes.
It’s strange, I was never a “fan” of Turpin, because I was always all UT, but I just remember thinking he seemed like such a good kid. Every time I see this page my eyes start tearing up — it just makes me feel so sad to think about someone being hopeless enough to take their life. I just pray he’s at peace now.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti
Was saddened this morning-
When I open my Tennessean newspaper sports cection, and read of Melvin Turpin’s passing. I was fortunate enough to see him play in Nashville, in 1984. It was at the Southeastern Conference Tournament at Vanderbilt. The first game I got to see was against Alabama and Bobby Lee Hurt. It was a hard fought game, and Big Mel went to war with Bobby Lee. Melvin was a beast on the boards and could score too. The Big Blue prevailed and the Tournament Championship was against Auburn and Charles Barkley. It was an epic battle. Barkley was quick off his feet and tough on the boards. Auburn had a very good team that year, and gave UK all they wanted. But, in the end Big Melvin refused to lose. With a style that would remind you of Big Cuz, he and Kenny Walker brought the championship home to Lexington. Charles cried at mid-court when it was over and they gave the MVP to Barkley. I remember the partisian UK crowd chanting Melvin, Melvin…My prayers go out to his family. He was a great Wildcat…
"You are what you are and you ain't what you ain't"
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