Princeton University Athletics
Princeton Legend Keene Fitzpatrick To Be Enshrined In Hall Of Fame
August 09, 2011 | Men's Track and Field
NEW ORLEANS (8/9/11) - Keene Fitzpatrick h13, h16 former coach and athletic trainer at Princeton will be inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Hall of Fame, it was announced by the USTFCCA on Monday.
Fitzpatrick
is considered "one of the pioneers of intercollegiate sport" and for over
40 years in the first half of the 20th century, Fitzpatrick was arguably the
leading figure in the world of intercollegiate athletic training, physical
education, and its applications in track & field, football, rowing, and
several other sports.
Fitzpatrick held stints at Yale and Michigan, but served the longest tenure as
head coach at Princeton for 22 years (1911-1932). In addition to his track
duties at Princeton, he was the trainer and kicking coach of the Princeton
football team and at times trained other teams.
Credited with inventing modern pole-vaulting technique, he coached numerous Olympic gold medalists, and took four of his Princeton track teams to second place in the intercollegiates (prior to the NCAAs) in 1920, 22, 23 and 25. Fifteen Tigers won individual intercollegiate championships, including two double champions.
Fitzpatrick was ahead of his time, speaking openly about student-athlete welfare. In 1927, he spoke publicly in favor of allowing college football teams to conduct early practice before the school year began. He argued that the lack of sufficient time for training and conditioning was the greatest cause of football injuries. He argued that, although football is the most strenuous of all sports, it gets the least amount of actual preparation.
Thurston J. Davies, the Acting Chairman of the Board and Supervisor of Sports at the time of Fitzpatrick's retirement said: "He interpreted his function broadly and in a period when pressure to win seemed irrestible, he steadfastly refused to 'take a chance' or to jeopardize the health or welfare of any single athlete to the winning of a meet or game."
After his first year at Princeton, the Daily Princetonian published an editorial in November 1911 proclaiming Fitzpatrick as "the best trainer Princeton has ever had," and concluded, "if we were asked to name the man who had done most for Princeton athletics in general during the past year, we should name Keene Fitzpatrick, the trainer of a championship football team, the trainer of a championship baseball team and the coach of the first Princeton track team that has beaten Yale in fifteen years."
He was one of the charter members of the IC4A when it was organized in 1918, was the first president of the College Track Coaches Association and at the time of his retirement was known as the Dean of College Track Coaches.
As a tribute to his years of service, Princeton named an athletic field and field house after him. In addition, Princeton awarded the Keene Fitzpatrick Medals to members of the cross country and track teams who had shown the greatest improvement in performance and faithfulness in endeavor.
Born in Natick, Mass., in 1864, Fitzpatrick died in Princeton, N.J., at age 79 in 1944.
The
other five inductees include: Phil Esten (UW-La Crosse), Ken Foreman (Seattle
Pacific), Craig Poole (BYU), LaVerne Sweat (Norfolk State/Hampton), and Bill
Webb (Tennessee/Cal State Northridge).
The 2011 USTFCCCA Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held December 14
at the USTFCCCA Convention in San Antonio, Texas.