Athlete – Basketball
As a teen, George Wilson Jr. loved the game of basketball, and the more competitive the better. George was born October 1, 1946 and grew up in Lexington during the 1950s and 1960s, a time in this country’s history when segregation and the fight for civil rights was at the forefront. Despite the unrest of the times, George stood out from the crowd in Lexington high school basketball as the star center for the Dunbar Bearcats (1961 –1964) and was admired by black and white fans alike. Growing up on Dakota Street, in the African-American neighborhood known as ‘Brucetown’ near downtown, George is the oldest of five children of the late George Sr. and Anna Mae Wilson.
George’s talent on the court brought the challenge of competing against players such as Wes Unseld, Clem Haskins, and Charlie Taylor. George recalls playing teams – Seneca (Louisville), Louisville Central, Breathitt County, Ashland, and many others that brought people, both black and white, together simply to witness the talents and showmanship of the Bearcats. George recalls sold-out crowds with even his father not being able to get into a game. At one game in particular, the fire marshal shut down entry because the gym was so packed. He has fond memories of the respect and camaraderie of the team, known for wearing green sports jackets when traveling to meet an opponent, making crowds stop and notice. The team was known for chanting the anthem “We are the Bearcats.” The Bearcats appeared in the championship game of the 1963 Sweet 16 State Tournament. The following year, George was a runner-up in the 1964 Kentucky Mr. Basketball balloting. The “man in the middle” for Dunbar made the All-State tournament teams and the First Team All-State teams in 1963 and 1964.
After high school, George played at Kentucky State University and on a semi-pro team for a brief time. George was inducted into the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. He retired from Kentucky-American Water Company, continues to live in Lexington, and serves on the Board and Volunteers for the Dunbar Community Center. He has been married to Edith Wilson for 57 years and has two sons.
