Frank W. Keaney enshrined as a contributor in 1960

Frank W. Keaney

Enshrined 1960
Born: June 5, 1886
Boston, MA
Died: October 10, 1967

Known as the architect of modern run-and-shoot basketball, Frank Keaney's up-tempo style made use of a fast-breaking offense and a full-court defense. Keaney's innovative tactics enabled his 1939 Rhode Island club to become the first college team to score better than 50 points per game. In 1943, Rhode Island averaged over two points a minute (80.7 ppg), earning them the nickname, "The Firehouse Gang." In 27 seasons at Rhode Island, Keaney had only one losing season, and led the Rams to four NIT appearances. When Keaney decided to enter the professional leagues, he became the first coach ever to be signed by the Boston Celtics. Unfortunately, he could not take the position because of health reasons.