A. R. Kennedy

A. R. Kennedy
Kennedy pictured, c. 1908, with the Kansas football team
Biographical details
Born(1876-10-24)October 24, 1876
Douglas County, Kansas, U.S.
DiedJune 29, 1969(1969-06-29) (aged 92)
Lawrence, Kansas, U.S.
Playing career
1895–1897Kansas
1899Penn
1900Latrobe Athletic Association
1901Philadelphia Pros
1902Philadelphia Phillies
1902New York
PositionQuarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1903Washburn
1904–1910Kansas
1911–1915Haskell
1916–1917Washburn
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1916–1919Washburn
Head coaching record
Overall95–36–10
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 MVIAA (1908)

Albert Rutherford Kennedy (October 24, 1876 – September 5, 1969) was an American college football player and coach. He played football at both the University of Kansas for three seasons, from 1895 to 1897, including one as team captain, and at the University of Pennsylvania, for one season in 1899. Kennedy also played three years of professional football immediately after graduating from Penn. During this time he played in the first professional football game ever played in Madison Square Garden which was also the first indoor professional football game ever played.[1] After his last year of playing professionally, he returned to his home state of Kansas and coached football at Washburn University (1903, 1916–1917), at the University of Kansas (1904–1910), and at the Haskell Institute—now known as Haskell Indian Nations University (1911–1915), compiling a career record of 95–36–10. His 52 wins with the Kansas Jayhawks football team are the most in the program's history. He remains, as of 2026, the last coach to lead the Jayhawks to a perfect season.

Early life

Kennedy was born on the family farm in rural Wakarusa Township, just outside Lawrence, Kansas, to Leander Jack Kennedy (September 21, 1836 – June 29, 1903) and Amanda E. Kennedy (née Todd) (November 23, 1841 – March 4, 1926).

Professional football career

Kennedy's professional football career spanned three seasons. In 1900, he served as quarterback and co-coach for the Latrobe Athletic Association.[2][3] He moved to the Philadelphia Pros in 1901,[4] and in the following year captained the Philadelphia Phillies of the first National Football League.[5][6] After the NFL season concluded in late 1902, he became manager and captain of a "New York" team that competed in the World Series of Football.[7]

College coaching career

Washburn

Kennedy was the eighth and then the fifteenth head football coach for Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas and he held that position for the 1903 season, and then returned for the 1916 and 1917 seasons. His overall coaching record at Washburn was 12 wins, 12 losses, and 3 ties.[8] Kennedy also served as the athletic director from 1916 to 1919.

Kansas

Kennedy was the 11th head football coach for the University of Kansas Jayhawks located in Lawrence, Kansas and he held that position for seven seasons, from 1904 until 1910. His overall coaching record at Kansas was 52 wins, 9 losses, and 4 ties. This ranks him first at Kansas in terms of total wins and second at Kansas in terms of winning percentage.[9]

Kennedy is one of the best performing coaches for Kansas in the Border War (as of 2007 called "Border Showdown") between Kansas and Missouri going 4-1-2 (.714) against them as a coach and 7-1-2 (.800) against them cumulatively as a coach and player.[10]

Haskell

1914 Haskell football team

Kennedy was the head coach of the Haskell Indian Nations Fighting Indians football team from 1911 until 1916. At Haskell, his teams managed 32 wins, 22 losses, and 3 ties.

Later life, death, and legacy

Aside from coaching, Kennedy practiced dentistry for 62 years, even while coaching, until he was 89. He was also briefly the director of athletics for the Manhattan, Kansas YMCA.

He and his wife, Mary Theressa Kennedy (née Kennard), had four children. His youngest son, Ted Kennedy (October 18, 1912 - January 19. 2013), was a two time mayor of Lawrence, Kansas and lifelong dentist in Lawrence, Kansas. He also played a major part in the building of Lake Clinton.[1] His second youngest son, Jesse Kennard "Bud" Kennedy (April 22, 1907 – June 24, 1966) was the head men's basketball coach at Florida State University from 1948 until his untimely death in 1966. Kennedy died on September 5, 1969, at the age of 92.[11] He was survived by his 2nd wife, Harriet H. Kennedy (January 27, 1893 – December 19, 1969), daughters, Mrs. Ruth King, Mrs. Theressa Jane Van Hoy and sons Leander Jack Kennedy and Ted Kennedy. Kennedy was laid to rest in Memorial Park Cemetery in Lawrence, Kansas.

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Washburn Ichabods (Kansas College Athletic Conference) (1903)
1903 Washburn 7–0–1
Kansas Jayhawks (Independent) (1904–1906)
1904 Kansas 8–1–1
1905 Kansas 10–1
1906 Kansas 6–2–2
Kansas Jayhawks (Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1907–1910)
1907 Kansas 5–31–13rd
1908 Kansas 9–04–01st
1909 Kansas 8–13–12nd
1910 Kansas 6–1–11–1–15th
Kansas: 52–9–49–3–1
Haskell Indians (Independent) (1911–1915)
1911 Haskell 4–2–3
1912 Haskell 7–4
1913 Haskell 10–1
1914 Haskell 5–4
1915 Haskell 5–5
Haskell: 31–16–3
Washburn Ichabods (Kansas College Athletic Conference) (1916–1917)
1916 Washburn 3–63–49th
1917 Washburn 2–6–22–5–2T–11th
Washburn: 12–12–3
Total:95–36–10

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Keegan, Tom (November 1, 2007). "His father's Jayhawks". Lawrence Journal World. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Latrobe's New Players". The Pittsburg Post. October 17, 1900. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Professional Football". The Philadelphia Record. December 3, 1900. p. 15.
  4. ↑ "Foot-Ball". The Times. Philadelphia. November 24, 1901. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Orange Game with Phila. Pros". The Evening Journal. Jersey City, NJ. November 25, 1902. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Phillies Win from Pirates". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 23, 1902. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "New York Has Good Team". The Brooklyn Citizen. December 26, 1902. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Washburn University Football Guide
  9. ↑ Kansas Coaching Records Archived September 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ↑ KU Athletics Archived March 10, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Football news
  11. ↑ Mayer, Bill (November 4, 1989). "Presence of All-Americans spurs fond memories". Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved December 27, 2010.
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