Cliff Hagan died at the age of 95. The news of his death was spread by Oscar Combs, one of the creators of Cats’ Pause magazine.
In 1951, Hagan won the NCAA Championship for the University of Kentucky. He also became part of the legendary 1954 team, which finished the season with a record 25-0 without suffering a single defeat.
Selected in the 1953 draft, Hagan was owned by the Boston Celtics. After two years of service in the U.S. Air Force, he, along with Ed McAuley, moved to the St. Louis Hawks on a deal in which the Celtics basketball team acquired Bill Russell.
Hagan spent a decade in the NBA playing exclusively for the Hawks from 1956 to 1966. The bond with Bob Pettit helped the club win the 1958 championship, when Boston was stronger in the decisive confrontation. Five times during his career, the player was included in the All-Star Game.
The Hall of Fame inducted Hagan in 1978, making him the first University of Kentucky official to be honored. Between 1975 and 1989, he served as the athletic director of the university team.
