Reprinted from the April 3, 1986 edition of The Louisville Cardinal, the University of Louisville’s independent student newspaper
By M. Norman Jacobson and T.L. Stanley
Information for this story was also gathered by Dan Blake
It was Derby Infield like you’ve never seen it.
An estimated 4,000 people poured onto the University of Louisville’s Belknap Campus immediately following Monday night’s NCAA basketball victory. Some estimates expected the crowd to reach 10,000.
Chants of “We’re No. 1” and “CA-R-D-S” were audible from one end of campus to another. Students sat on top of each other’s shoulders to get a better look at the festivities.
Crowds were centered around the Red Barn, the fraternity complex and Cardinal’s Inn restaurant.
Dan Howell, former U of L student now attending Bellarmine, sat atop a light stand outside the Red Barn and led the crowd in a cheer of “C-A-R-D-S.”
Most members of the crowd walked around with their hands held high in the air, waving U of L shirts and screaming. There were several people who climbed on top of the Red Barn and exposed their bare buttocks when campus police officers called them down.
The smell of sulphur, from bottle rockets and firecrackers, and beer permeated the air.
“Basketball ranks slightly below food and above shelter on my priority list,” said Jim Catinna, U of L senior. “It’s more than a game in Louisville, it’s a life’s ambition.”
Cars lined the streets surrounding campus traffic was backed all the way down Third Street, Winkler and Brandeis Avenues. Cars and people were lined down Cardinal Boulevard as fans climbed on the cabs of semi-trailers.
Students gathered outside Threlkeld Hall dormitory to play music and dance.
Superstition surrounded some fans’ approach to Monday night’s cliffhanger.
Louie Hamilton, whose wife is a U of L alumnae, said, “This may sound weird, but the weather man said the low today would be 55. That’s Billy (Thompson’s) number.”
Hamilton’s wife, Jamella, was waving the same pom-pon she carried through the 1980 NCAA championship and the U of L-UK “Dream Game” in 1983.
Dottie Kidd-Knights wore a black cape with a sequined Cardinal bird across the back. “I made this when I was watching the game in ’80 and we won, so I wore it during this game,” she said.
Eight University of Kentucky students traveled to Louisville to watch the game at the Red Barn.
“Everybody down there (at UK) was pulling for Duke,” said Ricky Striegel, a sophomore who rode up for the game. Although Striegel’s companions said they are regular UK basketball fans, they all pulled for U of L to win the championship.
Alex Baird, a student from Western Kentucky University said, “My heart has always been at U of L. I came from Western today and I’ll miss my classes tomorrow, but that’s okay.”
Five U of L freshmen women stood apart from the crowd at the Red Barn waving red banners and screaming, “We did it! We won!” In honor of their favorite player, they yelled “Pervis (Ellison) is the greatest!” and burst into hysterical screams.
Craig Layman, a U of L senior, said, “Pervis is the best freshman in the country. (Chris) Washburn at NC State no. (Charles) Shackleford at NC State no. It’s Pervis all the way.”
A recent U of L graduate, Greg Hurst, painted half his face red and the other half black for the occasion.
“I have seen a lot of nuts do it and I figured, why not,” he said. “The Cards are awesome. We’ve got three more years of Pervis.”
Some of the celebrating fans were a little too enthusiastic, according to some Red Barn workers.
“It’s about 50-50, high on emotions and drunkenness,” said Bruce Pierce, a sophomore. “They (some fans) were jumping on these (the outside air conditioning units) and they could break pretty easily. We just got them last summer.”
Larry Owsley, vice president for administration, said Tuesday there was no substantial damage to the campus, but that there was “a lot of trash” covering the area.
Reggie Norwood, a U of L senior, hails from North Carolina and was pulling for Duke. “I really wanted Duke to win, but now I’m just out here having fun,” he said at the Red Barn after the Cardinal win.
“I don’t feel sorry for Duke,” said Jamella Hamilton. “I wouldn’t feel sorry for us if we had lost. It’s just a game.”
Read The Louisville Cardinal‘s coverage of the championship game from its April 3, 1986 issue at
https://lcag.site/2026/03/26/cards-deck-duke-1986/
View The Louisville Cardinal’s entire April 3, 1986 issue at
https://lcag.site/2026/03/26/the-louisville-cardinal-april-3-1986/
Scans provided by University of Louisville Archives & Special Collections.
Visit their website at https://library.louisville.edu/archives/home
View more back issues of The Louisville Cardinal at
https://digital.library.louisville.edu/collections/ulua_cardinal
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