University of Michigan Hall of Honor
Cliff Keen
- Induction:
- 1980
Clifford P. Keen was born on June 13, 1901, in a small town called Cheyenne in the then Oklahoma territory. Keen's beginnings may have started in a small place, but the remainder of his life was spent on a large scale. In his collegiate days, Keen was a three-sport standout at Oklahoma A&M, where he lettered in football, wrestling and track. An All-American on the gridiron, Keen was a national champion wrestler who was selected to the 1924 Olympic team, but he was forced to withdraw due to injury. From 1925 to 1970, Keen served as the head coach of the Michigan wrestling team, setting a record for longest tenure by any coach in any sport in the history of the NCAA. During that time, he led his squads to a 272-91-10 (.743) record, winning 13 Big Ten titles and finishing lower than third only five times. Under his tutelage, Michigan laid claim to 68 All-Americans and 81 Big Ten champions. Keen also served as the coach of Michigan's 150-pound football team for 33 seasons, leading his team to the Big Ten title in the only two years the Conference sponsored the sport. A key in developing amateur wrestling around the nation, Keen was selected as head coach of the 1948 U.S. Olympic team. Keen's success was also evident away from the mats. He served three years as a Naval Commander during World War II, received his law degree from U-M and was a member of the Michigan State Bar. Following his retirement in 1970, he founded Cliff Keen Athletic Products, one of the largest manufacturers of sporting goods in the country. Keen died in Ann Arbor in 1991, soon after having the Varsity Arena renamed in his honor.
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