| A fascinating, multidimensional man who
made an indelible mark as a college athlete, coach and chemistry
professor, Frank William Keaney is best remembered as the creator
of the fast break in basketball, which he devised in the 1930s
while the head coach at Rhode Island State College, now known
as the University of Rhode Island. Keaney came to Kingston, R.I.,
in 1920 as a chemistry professor and one-man athletic staff who
coached football, basketball, baseball, track and cross
country. By the late 1930s, Keaney had become one of the
nation's best known and most innovative
basketball coaches. His teams, made up primarily of Rhode
Islanders, were high scoring and also wildly popular with their
"firehouse" style of wide open play centered around the fast break.
Keaney's Rhode Island State team peaked in 1946 after falling to
Kentucky by one point in the National Invitational Tournament
finals, then recognized as the national championship, at Madison
Square Garden. Between 1920 and 1948 Keaney’s Rams won
401 games while losing 124. Taking into account his wins
in football and baseball, Keaney’s overall record jumps to
707 wins, 322 losses and 14 ties. After retiring from coaching, he
remained at the university as athletic director. During his
tenure as AD, Keaney was honored by the university with the
dedication of a new basketball gymnasium in his name. In 1960
he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield,
Massachusetts. Frank Keaney died Oct.. 10, 1967, and his legacy
will always be remembered at URI. On top of his achievements
as a coach and professor, he developed "Keaney Blue," the
school’s color. Lovingly known as "The Menty" by his
players, Keaney dedicated his life to bettering student athletes on
the field and in the classroom. His family is spread around the
country now from Rhode Island to California. They send their best
wishes and appreciation for this honor. |
Frank Keaney '11, known as "Menty," works with Rhode Island
State All-American Stanley Modzelewski in a photo from his
biography, Keaney.
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