Henry Kean

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.
EducationIndiana University
Fisk University
Playing career
Football
c. 1920Fisk
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
c. 1921–1930Central HS (KY)
1931–1942Kentucky State
1944–1954Tennessee A&I
Basketball
c. 1921–1931Central HS (KY)
c. 1931–1944Kentucky State
1944–1949Tennessee A&I
1950–1951Tennessee A&I
Track and field
c. 1931–1944Kentucky State
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1931–1944Kentucky State
1944–1955Tennessee A&I
Head coaching record
Overall165–34–9 (college football)
Bowls5–3
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
6 black college national (1934–1935, 1946–1947, 1953–1954)
11 MWAA (1932, 1934, 1937–1938, 1941–1942, 1945–1947, 1949, 1954)

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 Industrial College (now known as 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.

Coaching career

Central High School

Kean taught mathematics, and coached football and basketball at Central High School in Louisville, Kentucky, for ten years. During this time he also worked a college football and college basketball official. Kean studied coaching under Knute Rockne of the University of Notre Dame.[1]

Kentucky State

In 1931, Kean was hired as the head football coach and athletic director at Kentucky State Industrial College—now known as Kentucky State University—in Frankfort, Kentucky.[1] He served as head coach of the Kentucky State Thorobreds football program for 12 seasons, from 1931 to 1942, compiling a record of 72–18–6 and leading his to two black college football national championships, in 1934 and 1935. Kean also coached basketball and track and field at Kentucky State.[2]

Tennessee State

In September 1944, Kean left Kentucky State to become the athletic director and head of the department of health and physical education at Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State College—now known as Tennessee State University.[2] He was head coach of the Tennessee A&I Tigers football program for 11 seasons, from 1944 to 1954, tallying a mark of 93–16–3, and leading his teams to four black college football national championships.

Kean also coached basketball at Tennessee State from 1944 to 1949 and from 1950 to 1951, amassing 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. 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. He died at the age of 61, on December 12, 1955, at a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.[3]

Head coaching record

College football

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Kentucky State Thorobreds (Midwest Athletic Association) (1931–1942)
1931 Kentucky State 6–3
1932 Kentucky State 5–0–22–0–11st
1933 Kentucky State 4–3
1934 Kentucky State 8–04–01st
1935 Kentucky State 9–13–12ndW Orange Blossom Classic
1936 Kentucky State 3–3–31–2–13rd
1937 Kentucky State 7–03–01st
1938 Kentucky State 7–24–01stL Orange Blossom Classic
1939 Kentucky State 6–13–12nd
1940 Kentucky State 5–2–1L Peach Blossom Bowl
1941 Kentucky State 6–23–01stW Prairie View Bowl
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 Bowl
1945 Tennessee A&I 8–23–01stW Vulcan Bowl
1946 Tennessee A&I 10–13–01stW Vulcan Bowl
1947 Tennessee A&I 10–03–01st
1948 Tennessee A&I 5–3–12–23rd
1949 Tennessee A&I 9–14–01st
1950 Tennessee A&I 9–22–12nd
1951 Tennessee A&I 8–22–12nd
1952 Tennessee A&I 8–22–13rd
1953 Tennessee A&I 8–0–12–0–1T–1st
1954 Tennessee A&I 10–14–01stL National Classic
Tennessee A&I: 93–16–3
Total:165–34–9
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Make H. Kean Head Coach at Ky. State". The Chicago Defender. Chicago, Illinois. May 23, 1931. p. 8. Retrieved May 5, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  2. 1 2 "T. S. C. Signs Henry Kean as Health Coach". The Nashville Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. September 10, 1944. p. 4C. Retrieved May 5, 2026 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  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 icon.
  4. ↑ "NCAA Statistics; Coach; Henry A. Kean; Football". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
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