The University of Kentucky adopted blue and white as its official colors in 1892.

Originally, however, UK Students had decided on blue and light yellow prior to the Kentucky-Centre College football game on December 19, 1891.

The shade of blue, which is close to a royal blue, was chosen when a student asked the question, "What color blue?"

At that time, Richard C. Stoll (who lettered in football at UK 1893-94) pulled off his blue neck tie and held it up.

The students then adopted that particular shade of blue. A year later, UK students officially dropped the light yellow color for white.

Source:

Kentucky 1997 Sports Legend Calendar, © 1996, Profile Publishing, Inc. Jeffersontown, KY.