Henry Kean facts for kids
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 20, 1894 Kentucky |
| Died | December 12, 1955 (aged 61) Nashville, Tennessee |
| Alma mater | Indiana University Fisk University |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| c. 1920 | Fisk |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1931–1942 | Kentucky State |
| 1944–1954 | Tennessee A&I |
| Basketball | |
| 1944–1949 | Tennessee A&I |
| 1950–1951 | Tennessee A&I |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1931–1944 | Kentucky State |
| 1944–1955 | Tennessee A&I |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 165–34–9 (football) 108–26 (basketball) |
| Bowls | 4–2 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Football 6 black college national (1934–1935, 1946–1947, 1953–1954) 11 Midwest Athletic Association (1932, 1934, 1937–1938, 1941–1942, 1945–1947, 1949, 1954) |
|
Henry Arthur Kean Sr. (born April 20, 1894 – died December 12, 1955) was a famous American coach. He coached both American football and basketball. Coach Kean led football teams at Kentucky State University and Tennessee State University. He had an amazing football record of 165 wins, 34 losses, and 9 ties. He also coached basketball at Tennessee State, winning 108 games and losing only 26.
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Coach Kean's Career Highlights
Henry Kean was a very successful coach for many years. He was known for leading his teams to many championships. His coaching career lasted for over two decades.
Coaching Football at Kentucky State
Coach Kean was the sixth head football coach at Kentucky State University. This university is located in Frankfort, Kentucky. He coached there for 12 seasons, from 1931 to 1942. During his time, he led the team to two national championships for historically black colleges. His football record at Kentucky State was 73 wins, 17 losses, and 6 ties.
Leading the Tennessee State Tigers
After Kentucky State, Coach Kean moved to Tennessee State University in 1943. He became the 11th head football coach for the Tigers. This team is based in Nashville, Tennessee. He coached them for 11 seasons, from 1944 to 1954. He led the Tigers to five national football titles. His record at Tennessee State was 93 wins, 16 losses, and 3 ties.
Basketball Success at Tennessee State
Henry Kean also coached basketball at Tennessee State. He coached from 1944 to 1949 and again from 1950 to 1951. As the head coach, he had a great record of 108 wins and 26 losses. In the 1948–49 season, his Tigers team was undefeated. They won all 24 of their games that year. They scored 1,765 points and only allowed opponents to score 977 points. This undefeated season is still a special achievement for Tennessee State.
Honoring Coach Kean's Legacy
In 1983, Coach Kean was honored for his achievements. He was inducted into the Tennessee State Sports Hall of Fame. A gymnasium at Tennessee State is named after him. It is called Kean Hall Gymnasium and is nicknamed "Kean's Little Garden." This shows how much he was respected and remembered.
About Henry Kean's Life
Henry Kean was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He went to college at both Indiana University Bloomington and Fisk University. Before becoming a coach, he taught mathematics at Central High School in Louisville. He passed away at age 61 on December 12, 1955, in a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.
