Henry Kean

Henry Arthur Kean Sr. (April 20, 1894 – December 12, 1955) was an American football and basketball coach. He served as head football coach at Kentucky State University from 1931 to 1942 and Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State College—now known as Tennessee State University from 1944 to 1954, compiling a career college football coaching record of 165–34–9, with a winning percentage of .819. Kean was also the head basketball coach at Tennessee A&I from 1944 to 1949 and again in 1950–51, tallying a mark of 108–26.

Henry A. Kean
Biographical details
Born(1894-04-20)April 20, 1894
Kentucky, U.S.
DiedDecember 12, 1955(1955-12-12) (aged 61)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Alma materIndiana University
Fisk University
Playing career
Football
c. 1920Fisk
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1931–1942Kentucky State
1944–1954Tennessee A&I
Basketball
1944–1949Tennessee A&I
1950–1951Tennessee A&I
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1931–1944Kentucky State
1944–1955Tennessee A&I
Head coaching record
Overall165–34–9 (football)
108–26 (basketball)
Bowls4–2
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)

Coaching career

Kentucky State

Kean was the sixth head football coach at Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky, a position he held for 12 seasons, from 1931 until 1942. During his tenure there, he led the team to two black college football national championship. His coaching record at Kentucky State was 73–17–6.[1]

Tennessee State

Kean moved to Tennessee State University in 1943 and led the Tigers to five football national titles. Kean was the 11th head football coach for the Tigers in Nashville, Tennessee and he held that position for 11 seasons, from 1944 until 1954. His coaching record at Tennessee State was 93–16–3.

Henry Kean also coached basketball at Tennessee State from 1944 to 1949 and from 1950 to 1951. As head coach, he recorded a record of 108–26. In 1948–49, the Tigers went undefeated finishing with a record of 24 wins, scoring 1,765 points while allowing only 977 points by their opponents. This team remains Tennessee State's only undefeated team.

Kean was inducted into the Tennessee State Sports Hall of Fame in 1983.[2] Kean Hall Gymnasium, nicknamed "Kean's Little Garden," is named in his honor.

Personal life

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Kean held college degrees from both Indiana University Bloomington and Fisk University, and taught mathematics at Louisville's Central High School. He died at the age of 61, on December 12, 1955, at a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.[3]

Head coaching record

Football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Kentucky State Thorobreds (Midwest Athletic Association) (1931–1942)
1931 Kentucky State 6–3
1932 Kentucky State 5–0–21st
1933 Kentucky State 4–3
1934 Kentucky State 8–01st
1935 Kentucky State 9–1W Orange Blossom Classic
1936 Kentucky State 3–3–3
1937 Kentucky State 7–01st
1938 Kentucky State 7–21stL Orange Blossom Classic
1939 Kentucky State 6–1
1940 Kentucky State 5–2–1
1941 Kentucky State 6–21st
1942 Kentucky State 6–11st
Kentucky State: 72–18–6
Tennessee A&I Tigers (Midwest Athletic Association) (1944–1954)
1944 Tennessee A&I 8–2–1W Vulcan
1945 Tennessee A&I 8–23–01stW Vulcan
1946 Tennessee A&I 10–13–01stW Vulcan
1947 Tennessee A&I 10–03–01st
1948 Tennessee A&I 5–3–1
1949 Tennessee A&I 9–11st
1950 Tennessee A&I 9–2
1951 Tennessee A&I 8–2
1952 Tennessee A&I 8–2
1953 Tennessee A&I 8–0–1
1954 Tennessee A&I 10–11stL National Classic
Tennessee A&I: 93–16–3
Total:165–34–9
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References
  1. Kentucky State University coaching records Archived October 9, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  2. Tennessee State University coaching records Archived July 28, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Coach Of Negro Grid Teams Dies". The Advocate-Messenger. Danville, Kentucky. Associated Press. December 13, 1955. p. 6. Retrieved March 21, 2017 – via Newspapers.com open access.
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