| Wins against Kentucky - 3 | Losses against Kentucky - 9 |
Alma Mater: Alabama [1948] (*)
Hometown: Guin, AL
Date Born: September 14, 1921
Date Died: April 24, 1995
Overall Record: 102-104 [8 Seasons]
| Date | Matchup | UK Result | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2/24/1968 | Alabama at Kentucky | W | 96 - 83 | - |
| 1/8/1968 | Kentucky at Alabama | W | 84 - 76 | - |
| 3/6/1967 | Alabama at Kentucky | W | 110 - 78 | - |
| 2/25/1967 | Kentucky at Alabama | L | 71 - 81 | - |
| 2/14/1966 | Kentucky at Alabama | W | 90 - 67 | - |
| 1/31/1966 | Alabama at Kentucky | W | 82 - 62 | - |
| 3/1/1965 | Alabama at Kentucky | W | 78 - 72 | - |
| 2/22/1965 | Kentucky at Alabama | L | 71 - 75 | - |
| 2/24/1964 | Kentucky at Alabama | L | 59 - 65 | - |
| 2/25/1963 | Alabama at Kentucky | W | 80 - 63 | - |
| 2/24/1962 | Kentucky at Alabama | W | 73 - 65 | - |
| 2/25/1961 | Alabama at Kentucky | W | 80 - 53 | - |
Obituary - Anniston (AL) Star (April 26, 1995)
Former Tide Coach, Hayden Riley, Dies
by Phillip Tutor
For nearly 50 years, Hayden Riley and Clem Gryska were friends. From childhood to college, from their early days at Alabama's athletic department to retirement, the two remained close.
So now Gryska feels the pain of losing a dear friend.
Riley died late Monday afternoon after a lengthy illness at Caraway Methodist Medical Center in Birmingham. He was 73.
"I've known him since 1946," Gryska said Tuesday from his Tuscaloosa home. "We've been friends ever since. Our children grew up together."
Riley, a Navy veteran who earned two degrees from Alabama, was one of the chief contributors to the resurgence of Alabama's football program in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Hired by Paul "Bear" Bryant in Florence in 1958, Riley would eventually serve as the Crimson Tide's head basketball coach (1961-68) and head baseball coach (1971-79).
But Riley's unsung work came as Bryant's chief recruiter. Before Alabama's football program had a near-unlimited budget, Riley would scour the Southeast for players, then phone back to Bryant with reports. Bryant often listened to Riley's advice, Gryska said.
As the Tide's basketball coach, Riley - a Guin native - posted a 102-104 mark But he did beat Kentucky and famed coach Adolph Rupp three times, in 1964, 1965 and 1967.
His career numbers were much better in baseball, where he went 224-161-1 and guided Alabama to two Southeastern Conference Western Division championships.
Suffering from diabetes, Riley retired from Alabama's athletic department in 1979 on advice of his doctors. He worked first in the university's development program, then served two years as commissioner of the Gulf South Conference (1982-84).
In the mid 1980's, however, Riley's health took a turn for the worse. A stroke seven years ago, Gryska says, paralyzed Riley on one side of his body and gave him a severe speech impediment. But he still attended a few Alabama football and basketball games each year, sometimes watching the Tide from the press box at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
On Tuesday, Gryska chose to recall memories of Riley as a friend and young father, of how their children grew up together at family cookouts.
"We were in school together. We competed against each other (in high school)," Gryska said. "He was the first guy to come by and welcome me here. He always called me 'Clembo.' He helped us look for houses.
"I've lost a close friend. I really have."
Riley's funeral will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Hayes Chapel Home in Tuscaloosa, with burial at Tuscaloosa Memorial Park. Pallbearers will include many former Alabama coaches, including Wimp Sanderson, Barry Shollenberger, Dude Hennssey and Gryska.
The Riley family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Hayden Riley Memorial Fund (P.O. Box 970101, Tuscaloosa, 35487) at the university.
