When Birdell Fish took a call that she would be receiving the Distinguished Tomcat Award at this year’s Ashland Invitational Tournament, she thought it was meant for her youngest son Matt, a former star basketball and football player.
“Dicky Martin called, it was football season and I thought he wanted to talk football,” she said. “He said he wanted to let me know he was on the AIT committee for the selection of the Distinguished Tomcat Award – I’m still thinking Matthew, because he kind of set the place on fire – and he said congratulations to you. We selected you.”
Fish said she had no words. “You got me speechless, which is very unusual for me. It’s an honor, a privilege. I was so humbled.”
The committee made Fish a unanimous selection and it was the right one. She is one of the greatest Ashland Kitten players in history, starring on the first two teams that were allowed to compete again in Kentucky High School Athletic Association sanctioned tournaments in 1974-75 and 1975-76 following the landmark Title IX decision in 1972.
Birdell Fish flanked by her “greatest achievements,” sons Matt and Marcus Thomas.
Fish was a dynamic point guard who led the Kittens to a 48-9 record in those two seasons, including 27-2 her junior year when she averaged 23.3 points per game and was named All-State. She was selected for the East-West All-Stars and Kentucky-Indiana All-Stars following her senior year when she averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, repeating as All-State.
Her humble beginnings started on the mean streets of Ashland where she played against the boys any chance she could. They would put up some plywood, nail a rim to it and hang it on a telephone pole, she said, until the city would come and take it down.
Fish had five brothers, so roughhouse basketball ensued, and she developed her skills while trying to hang with them and their friends. “I didn’t care much about dolls,” she said.
“If my brothers were alive, they would tell you it was them (who showed her how to play),” Fish said. “(Brother) Terry used to get a kick out of telling everybody he taught me everything I knew.”
She grew up in a neighborhood full of kids and much of her athletic ability came naturally. Her father, Dave Fish, was a tremendous basketball player for Booker T. Washington School where he graduated in 1950. “I didn’t realize how good he was,” she said. “I knew he loved playing basketball. My uncle, Cornell (Fish), before he passed away, showed me all these programs and pictures from when they played.”
Birdell Fish played against the boys at recess at Crabbe Elementary because there was no girls team and the girls weren’t allowed to play on the boys teams. She wore shorts under her dress so she could mix it up on the playground with the guys. A sixth-grade teacher once told her it wasn’t proper for a girl to being playing with the boys and the teacher made her stop and sit on the sidelines and watch.
Not understanding why she wasn’t allowed to play, she told her father what happened. “He was pissed,” Fish said. “They had a conversation, and I was allowed to play with the boys again.”
There was no organized basketball for girls in Ashland except for the high school Ashland Kittens team. The Kittens competed even though there were no postseason tournaments. Fish tried out as an eighth-grader but failed to make the cut. She was disheartened but tried again the next year.
This time she made the team, then moved up to sixth man and then into the starting lineup as a freshman. She never sat the bench again.
Her first time playing with and against girls was the tryout as an eighth-grader and then her freshman season. By the time she was a junior, the KHSAA was sanctioning the state tournament again and a new era of girls’ basketball was born nationwide.
Fish’s outstanding guard play was good enough for her to garner statewide attention. She was selected as one of the top four players in the state in the preseason of her junior year. The Kittens were strong with Fish and Sheila Salyer leading the way. Fish said Salyer could have averaged 35 points per game if the had the 3-point shot.
Not only did they not have the 3-pointer, but they played with a boys basketball, not the smaller size ball that is now used. Also, she said, not having women’s officiating hurt the game in the early days. During the seasons when the girls schools played club basketball, they had a 30-second shot clock.
Fish’s scoring and tenacious defense set the tone for coach Linda Meyer’s team. After losing the season opener on the road at Jenkins, the Kittens rattled off 27 consecutive wins before bowing out in the 16th Region finals against Russell, 48-40.
“I still have nightmares watching them jump in my swimming pool,” she said, referring to Ashland’s pool beside the gym. The first two regional tournaments were played at Ashland. The Lady Devils also beat the Kittens her senior season.
The 16th Region was just learning about girls’ basketball, but Fish was among a handful of superstar players including Paula Hatten at Boyd County, Regina Carroll and Peggy Iddings at Russell and Fish and Salyers at Ashland.
During their senior year, two Tomcat football players – Rick Sang and Alan Mayo – were talking smack with Fish and Salyer, saying they would dominate them in a game of 2-on-2. The girls took the challenge and met the boys at an outdoor court.
“We kind of smacked them around a little bit,” she said. “It was all in good fun.”
Fish said she often played games on the courts in Central Park and at Dawson Pool and the boys didn’t take it easy on her there either. She would often pick herself up off the concrete courts after being shoved. It all contributed to making her a great basketball player in later years.
Fish credited Meyers for developing her as a player. “My game grew leaps and bounds,” she said. “She was a good coach but a better teacher of the game. She taught me about the game of basketball, the concepts and the reason why you do what you do. She was so good at teaching you and showing you that.”
Fish’s play at Ashland caught the attention of Morehead State women’s coach Mickey Wells, who signed her and Donna Murphy of Newport to his stellar 1976 class. Murphy was regarded as the top player in the state and Fish was among the top five. It was a class that also included Geri Grigsby of McDowell.
Fish only played one season at Morehead saying she lost her passion for the game. Her father had passed away in the spring of her senior year. That may have led to her losing some desire.
“He was my biggest fan,” she said. “He’d lay off work to watch me play. He’s sit up on the bleachers by himself. Besides Linda Meyers, he was the only voice I could hear.”
Fish said she “lost the heart” for playing and if she could not give it her all, she didn’t want to play. Her only season she roomed with Murphy, saying she was an even better person than a basketball player. Fish said she was the best player she ever played against or with during her career.
Fish said the girls’ game has improved a lot since her playing days in the 1970s.
“There’s not that stigma connected to it like it used to be when I played 45 years ago,” she said. “Now you have (Iowa’s) Caitlin Clark or Paige Buckner from UConn for girls to look up to. My favorite player growing up was Oscar Robertson. The way it’s going now, these girls have so many people to look up to and emulate. It’s amazing for me to watch it unfold.”
Birdell may not know it but she was the role model for many young girls growing up to become Ashland Kittens. Jerry West was part of the NBA logo and Birdell Fish could be part of the Ashland Kitten logo. That’s the impact she had on the program.
Despite all her basketball accomplishments, Fish considers raising her sons, Marcus and Matt, into fine young men was her greatest achievements. Both were outstanding athletes – Marcus in basketball and baseball at Rose Hill and Matt in basketball and football at Ashland.
“They turned out to be really good men,” she said. “When you can say that about your kids, you’ve done something right.”
Birdell will be honored tonight before the Tomcats play Ohio County in the first game of the AIT at 7 p.m.
Distinguished Tomcat Award honorees
2001-Ralph Felty, All-State football player in 1937 for the Tomcats who went on to play in the Rose Bowl for Duke.
2002-Charlie Reliford, major league baseball umpire who is still regarded as the best “rules man” in the game.
2003-Brandon Webb, major league baseball pitcher and the 2006 Cy Young Award winner for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
2004-Bob Wright and the Lynch family, a state championship coach of the famed ’61 Tomcats and a family whose talent – and class – was unmatched in Ashland sports. Billy and Bobby Lynch are two of the greatest athletes to ever wear maroon and white.
2005-Salyers family, Greg, Phil and Bryan, all great basketball players and great people who loved their Tomcats.
2006-Conley family, George, Larry, Joe and Linda. Some of the best of the best be it coaching or playing.
2007-Jerry Henderson, one of the greatest all-around athletes in Tomcat history and one of the greatest gentlemen in Ashland history.
2008-Harold Cole, outstanding basketball coach who knew how to win. He coached in the late 1960s and early 1970s
2009-Dr. Garner Robinson and David Green, who helped Ashland become the state’s first school with certified trainers.
2010-Dr. Loren Ledford, a diehard Tomcat who starred in basketball and was later a passionate supporter and team doctor.
2011-David Payne, Mr. Tomcat. Need more be said? Dirk Payne did more for the Tomcats than anybody on this list, period.
2012-Dicky Martin, The Voice. He is a strong part of the tradition and will fight you if you say anything bad about a Tomcat. He can say it because he’s family. But don’t you try it around him.
2013-Mike Johnson, football and baseball player for the Tomcats who gave much back to Ashland’s youth as a baseball coach.
2014-Herb Alban, a 60-year Tomcat fan who has seen a lot during his 98 years. An amazing man whose life could be a movie.
2015-Steve Gilmore, whose lifetime has revolved around the Tomcats as a coach, teacher, administrator, superintendent and now huge fan as he works as mayor of the city.
2016-Herb Conley, an all-sport athlete and a football coach whose legacy is unmatched. Anybody else have a statue?
2017-Mark Maynard, sports historian and former sports editor and editor of The Daily Independent who has written 11 books, including eight with Tomcat ties.
2018-Vic Marsh, the all-time winningest coach in Ashland Tomcat football history when he retired. Marsh led the Tomcats to the 1990 state championship.
2019-Frank Sloan who coached Ashland teams to regional championships in baseball, girls basketball and soccer.
2020-COVID, no selection.
2021-Marty Thomas, who starred in basketball from 1992-94 when he became all-time scoring king with 1,873 points. He also had the single-game record with 54 points and averaged 27.7, an all-time best, his junior season.
2022-Ashland celebrated two pioneers of its girls basketball program. Linda Conley Meyers was the first girls coach of the modern era and also kept the scoreboard for the boys team. Bill Bradley tallied 405 wins in his 20 seasons on the Kittens sideline and won four 16th Region titles.
MARK MY WORDS 2 