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 16^th 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 16^th 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.

Your day has finally arrived. No more preparation and planning. It’s time to play.

My advice? Don’t blink because, when you do, it will be over. Blink again. It’s been 10 years since this day. Blink another time. You’re looking back on 20 years. Some of your brothers may no longer be here.

Blink again and it’s been 30 years.

Life is short, legacy is forever.

My favorite movie is “Remember the Titans.” I’m sure you’ve seen it. If the Titans had not won that championship game to complete that perfect season in Virginia, they may still be remembered, but it would be in a different way. And that movie probably never happens.

The same goes for you. The 2023 Raceland Rams will be fondly remembered, no matter what happens today. But win and you’re legendary. You’ve been here before and understand the pain of going home as runnerup, no matter how great an accomplishment that may be. Your community and family will love you regardless of what happens today. You’ve given them lifetime memories and thrills.

Your coach has tested you with a schedule that has few equals. Look back on those games for strength when the game gets tough today. You will need that resolve. You may not have understood it when the game against powerhouses like Fort Thomas Highlands and Lexington Christian, among others, were being played. But today the lessons learned from those games will be something that gets you through the moments of adversity that are sure to come against a great team like Pikeville.

Don’t blink.

I’ve covered some of the great Raceland teams of the past and many had disappointing finishes in the postseason. They had to go through the northern Kentucky gauntlet, so it was hard to get any traction. Things are different now although not easy. All season long, no matter what RPI says, you and Pikeville have been the best teams in Class A. You have made history and now it’s time to do what no other Raceland team has ever done. You will be the standard. Nobody will ever forget these Rams.

It’s only 48 game minutes away.

You may have heard the phrase “luck is when opportunity meets preparation.” I think there’s even more to it. If no action is taken when preparation and opportunity collide, nothing happens. It becomes a lost opportunity, a time when you will have wished you did something. That can also translate into regret.

Don’t regret.

Don’t blink.

And WIN!

Remember every second and let’s make sure Pikeville remembers the Rams.

Thirty-five years ago this season, Ashland and Covington Catholic slugged it out in one of the greatest games ever played in Putnam Stadium’s 86-year history.

It was the 1988 state semifinals and Covington Catholic came into the game roaring. The Colonels were 12-1 and entered as a 17-point favorite with a powerhouse running game and a slick passing attack that had devoured opponents.

Ashland had underachieved in the regular season but began hitting a stride in the playoffs. The Tomcats came into the semifinals with a pedestrian 7-6 record but much better than the record showed.

Still, nobody gave them much of a chance, including their own loyal followers, to defeat the northern Kentucky powerhouse.

What happened on that cold November Friday night in 1988 was, well, chilling, the stuff of goosebumps and legends. The Tomcats battled the Colonels to a scoreless tie in regulation before dropping a tear-your-heart-out 6-0 loss in overtime. While a haunting defeat for the Tomcats of coach Vic Marsh, it’s one of the classics in Putnam Stadium. It remains one fans talk about today.

Those Tomcats didn’t listen to the pre-game talk. Today’s Tomcats may want to stay away from the naysayers, too.

The game with Covington Catholic was supposed to be a mismatch. The Colonels were high-powered with quarterback Paul Hladon expected to make it look easy for the defending state champions.

If Ashland had any chance, it would be because of a battering-ram offense that had carried the Tomcats most of the season. It included running back Mike Johnson, who that season would become Ashland’s all-time leading rusher.

But on this night, it was a defense designed by assistant coaches Don McReynolds, Steve Salyers and David Arthur that befuddled the Colonels. It was a mix of zone looks and was predicated on a fierce pass rush. And it worked. An uncomfortable Hladon completed only 4 of 22 passes for 28 yards. It wasn’t all Hladon’s fault. Some of his throws were rushed but his receivers also dropped many passes after some jarring hits from Ashland’s secondary, namely Jason Hall and David Hicks, who had two interceptions and made an early statement with a thunderous hit on a receiver who dared to come over the middle on the first play.

By the end of the game, the receivers were hearing the footsteps of Hall and Hicks when a football was thrown their way. The pass rush was effective, too, keeping Hladon uncomfortable in the pocket.

Marsh’s coaching trademark was preparation, and it was the most prepared Tomcat team I can ever remember. They were ready and they were motivated to win, not just play a good game against a team that frankly had superior talent.

That kind of mental preparation was the only way the Tomcats were going to compete with Covington Catholic. They weren’t the more talented team, so they had to be the more physical team. Tonight’s game with Covington Catholic will be another test of toughness for these Tomcats.

Hladon left the game knowing the Colonels were fortunate to go home with a victory. “I’ll tell you, Ashland Paul Blazer deserved to win,” he said.

The game may be the most exciting scoreless football ever played in Putnam Stadium.

Zeroes dominated the scoreboard but on the field there were blocked punts, blocked field goal tries, a touchdown called back by penalty, long runs, big losses, passes dropped, passes intercepted, fumbles, a goal-line stand, critical penalties, great decisions, bad decisions and gutsy decisions.

The only score came on Dan Ruh’s 10-yard run on a draw play in overtime.

Ashland had taken possession first in overtime and got to the four on two runs by Mike Johnson before Hicks, the quarterback, was dropped for a two-yard loss. That left it up to Charlie Johnson’s foot and Roger Werner blocked the sophomore’s 22-yard field goal try.

When Covington Catholic took possession for its overtime opportunity, Charlie Johnson chased Hladon back to the 23 and looked to have him corralled for a sack when the quarterback flung a pass out of bounds in the vicinity of a receiver.

On the next play, Ruh went up the middle, did some stutter steps to avoid the first wave of tacklers, cut left and went into the end zone.

Ruh, excited with the win, spiked the ball. The officials threw a flag, but unless it was going to be marked off on the kickoff of the state title game, it was meaningless.

Ashland’s players stood frozen on the field and it wasn’t because of the November chill. Their emotions were chilled. This roller-coaster ride of a game was over and so was the season.

Ashland had its chances to win the game in regulation with only seconds remaining. Stopped at the Covington Catholic 12 with only nine seconds to play, the Tomcats called a timeout. Johnson tried a 27-yard field goal that was slightly wide left, but an illegal procedure penalty gave the Tomcats a five-yard setback but another try for the win, much to the protest of the Colonels’ sidelines. Again though, Johnson’s kick, this time from 34 yards out, was wide left and regulation ended 0-0.

Covington Catholic had a chance in the fourth quarter, but a goal-line stand by the Tomcats kept the shutout. The Colonels had a first-and-goal from the 3-yard line. The first two plays were one-yard gains and then fullback Chris Penn was stopped twice for no gain. Ashland’s fans in the end zone went wild. Everybody who was at this game was into the game. For the Tomcat fans who had invested so deeply, that’s what made losing so much tougher.

But the 1988 state semifinal game, even though a loss, will be forever remembered by those same fans and those who played in the game. Those gentlemen are between the ages of 50 and 53 today but the memory of a time when you put so much of your heart and soul into a battle – win or lose – stays with you.

I’m sure the same is true for the Covington Catholic players of that era. They remember the Tomcats.

Will these Colonels remember the Tomcats after tonight?

Covington Catholic went on to repeat as state champions in 1988, defeating Paducah Tilghman 30-24 in overtime the following week. Ashland was left to wonder what if?

Two years later, the sophomores on this Ashland team, including Charlie Johnson, would win a 19-14 semifinal game against Bell County in Putnam Stadium on the way to the 1990 state championship.

Ask them today and they’ll proudly tell you about both games, each considered epic in Ashland’s proud history.

Gary Thomas, who had one of the biggest runs in Ashland Tomcat football history in 1975 against Paducah Tilghman and gained more than 3,000 yards rushing in two memorable seasons, was one of the most best athletes in school history. He died on Sept. 29, 2023 at the age of 64.

Thomas’ 85-yard run against Paducah Tilghman in the Class AAAA State At-Large Championship game broke a 7-7 tie with less than four minutes to play led to a 13-7 victory. It was a third road playoff win for a team that was ranked No. 1 in the Class AAAA At-Large classification most of the season.

Paducah had bottled up Ashland’s vaunted running attack and had the Tomcats deep in their own territory when Thomas got loose. The JAWS defense, where Thomas was a hard-hitting cornerback, kept the game at 7 apiece in a defensive struggle. Thomas darted off-tackle, found a seam and followed some good downfield blocking to outrace Tilghman defenders to the end zone.

The Paducah crowd was stunned, and the small Tomcat faithful were cheering wildly with hundreds more listening intently on the radio broadcast in Ashland, hanging onto every word from Dick Martin Sr. and Pete Wonn. The Tomcats were the first high school team in state history to take an airplane flight to a game. The Tomcat Boosters raised enough money in three days to charter a flight across the state for the beloved team.

The 1975 JAWS team is one of the most memorable in Tomcat history and Thomas was a good reason why. He rushed for 1,754 yards and 20 touchdowns by using his quickness and speed and a tremendous offensive line to help deliver one of the best seasons in Ashland history. He was a second-team All-State running back.

Ashland fell to Louisville St. Xavier 20-0 in the overall Class AAAA championship game played in Louisville. Thomas carried for 107 yards in the team’s only loss in a 14-1 season. He ran for more than 100 yards in 10 of 15 games, including a career-high 222 yards against Belfry in a 47-6 rout.

That was his junior year and he came back the next season and led Ashland to a 9-3 record and the Class AAAA State At-Large semifinals where a heartbreaking 14-13 loss to Tates Creek ended the season in Putnam Stadium. Thomas gained 1,393 yards with 16 touchdowns with six 100-yard rushing games. He was a first-team All-State defensive back as a senior.

Thomas put his stamp on a great career, finishing with 3,147 yards and 36 touchdowns. His career rushing record stood for more than 10 years.

Anyone who watched Thomas run with the football would not forget it. It was like watching a great artist paint a picture. He was quick, fast and powerful all at the same time. Just give him the football and watch him go. Coach Herb Conley did that a lot in 1975 and 1976 in his vaunted wishbone offense that took opponents apart, not knowing who to take away. There was no better option than Thomas, whose quickness and running IQ made him one of the state’s most dangerous weapons.

As good as Thomas was on defense, he was a hard-hitting player with natural instincts on defense and that’s what Eastern Kentucky University liked him most. He went to EKU on scholarship after his senior season.

Thomas was the father to some athletic sons in Marcus and Matt and a third son, Hayden, who came along later in life. Thomas coached in Ashland’s youth leagues for many years. He was a good man with a deep love of football who wanted to give back. He lived his life in the Ashland community.

Gary Thomas will be remembered as one of the greatest players on one of Ashland’s greatest teams in 1975 along with being one of the best players to wear maroon and white. And that touchdown run in Paducah will be regarded as one of the biggest in Tomcat history because of what was at stake.