Harry Keough
Encyclopedia
Harry Joseph Keough is a former American
soccer defender
who played on the United States national team
in their 1–0 upset
of England
at the 1950 FIFA World Cup
. He spent most of his club career in his native St. Louis, winning a national junior championship, two U.S. Open Cup and seven National Amateur Cup titles. He coached the Saint Louis University
men's soccer
team to five NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
s. The Keough Award
, named after him and his son Ty Keough
, is presented each year to the outstanding St. Louis-based male and female professional or college soccer player.
, attending Cleveland High School. As a youth he played several sports, including track, swimming, and fast-pitch softball, particularly excelling at soccer which he learned from his older brother, Bill Keough, and from the children of Spanish immigrants in the Carondelet neighborhood of South St. Louis. His soccer career began in 1945 as a member of the St. Louis Schumachers team that won the 1946 National Challenge Junior Cup. In 1946, he joined the U.S. Navy. He was assigned to a naval base in San Francisco, California
where he played for the San Francisco Barbarians which had dominated west coast soccer in the first half of the century. Keough was eventually sent to San Diego
as part of a destroyer
crew. After his discharge from the Navy, Keough returned to St. Louis. In 1948, he played for Paul Schulte Motors. In 1949, the team came under the sponsorship of McMahon Pontiac and which played in the lower division St. Louis Municipal League. He was with McMahon when selected for the U.S. national team as it entered qualification for the 1950 World Cup. When he returned home from the cup, Keough rejoined his team, now known as the St. Louis Raiders of the first division St. Louis Major League. The Raiders won both the league and National Amateur Cup
championships in 1952, giving Keough his first “double”. Following the 1952 season, Tom Kutis took over sponsorship of the team, renaming it St. Louis Kutis S.C.
. The team continued its winning ways under its new name, winning the 1953 and 1954 league titles. It also went to the 1954 U.S. Open Cup final where it fell to New York Americans
of the American Soccer League
. The St. Louis Major League had folded in 1954 and Kutis continued to play both as an independent team and as a member of various lower division city leagues over the next decade. Despite this turbulence, it continued to dominate both the city and national soccer scene. Kutis would win the National Amateur Cup each year from 1956 to 1961. In 1957, it won the U.S. Open Cup, giving Keough another double.
, to be held in Mexico. This was the second time the NAFC had held a regional championship, but this one served as the qualification tournament for the World Cup as well. Keough gained his first cap with the national team in its 1-1 tie with Cuba on September 14, 1949. The U.S. finished second out of the three teams, giving it a spot in the cup for the first time since 1937. At the World Cup, Keough served as team capatin for the game against Spain
"because he spoke Spanish." He also made appearances for the U.S. team in the 1952
and 1956 Summer Olympics
, as well as the qualifying matches for the 1954 and 1958 FIFA World Cup
s. His last game with the national team was a 3-2 World Cup qualification loss to Canada
on July 6, 1957.
. In 1967, St. Louis University hired him away from Florissant. In his first year with the Billikens, Keough took his team an NCAA co-championship. He then took his team to four additional championships during his tenure (1969, 1970, 1972, and 1973). When he retired from coaching in 1982, he had compiled a 213-50-23 record with SLU.
. In 1994, the book "The Game of Their Lives", was published, covering the 1950 U.S. World Cup Team's 1 - 0 victory in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, versus the highly favored English team, and in 2005 the movie was released (on DVD under the name "Miracle Match"). Keough was named as one of the 50 Greatest Athletes of the Century (for Missouri) by Sports Illustrated. On September 30, 2009, Keough was named to SLU's Half-Century Team
, and on November 18, 2009, Keough was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame as a member of its inaugural class.
was also a professional soccer player who played for the U.S. team and is now a sports commentator
for soccer broadcasts. His father Patrick appeared on the famous TV program The $64,000 Question in the mid-1950s where he won an automobile for answering questions about baseball. Keough suffers from Alzheimer's disease
.
discussing the U.S. upset victory over England in the 1950 World Cup and his coaching career at St. Louis University.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
who played on the United States national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
in their 1–0 upset
England v United States (1950)
On 29 June 1950, at the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the United States defeated England 1–0 in a group match. This unexpected result has led to the match being described as the "Miracle on Grass", in reference to the 1980 Miracle on Ice, in which the US ice hockey team beat the Soviet Union. The...
of England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at the 1950 FIFA World Cup
1950 FIFA World Cup
The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
. He spent most of his club career in his native St. Louis, winning a national junior championship, two U.S. Open Cup and seven National Amateur Cup titles. He coached the Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University is a private, co-educational Jesuit university located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by the Most Reverend Louis Guillaume Valentin Dubourg SLU is the oldest university west of the Mississippi River. It is one of 28 member institutions of the...
men's soccer
Saint Louis Billikens men's soccer
The Saint Louis Billikens men's soccer team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of Saint Louis University. The Billikens compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I...
team to five NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
The NCAA began conducting a Men's Division I Soccer Championship tournament in 1959 with an eight-team tournament. Currently, the tournament field consists of 48 teams...
s. The Keough Award
Keough Award
The Keough Award is an award given to the top male and female soccer players from the St. Louis, Missouri area. It was established in 2004 and is named after former United States men's national soccer team member and St. Louis University men's soccer coach Harry Keough.-Winners:-References:*Joe...
, named after him and his son Ty Keough
Ty Keough
William “Ty” Keough is a former U.S. soccer player and coach who has served as a soccer broadcaster for several networks. He earned seven caps with the U.S. national team in 1979 and 1980. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic soccer team which qualified for the 1980 Summer Olympics. However, he...
, is presented each year to the outstanding St. Louis-based male and female professional or college soccer player.
Club career
Keough was born to Patrick John Keough and Elizabeth Costley Keough, and grew up in St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, attending Cleveland High School. As a youth he played several sports, including track, swimming, and fast-pitch softball, particularly excelling at soccer which he learned from his older brother, Bill Keough, and from the children of Spanish immigrants in the Carondelet neighborhood of South St. Louis. His soccer career began in 1945 as a member of the St. Louis Schumachers team that won the 1946 National Challenge Junior Cup. In 1946, he joined the U.S. Navy. He was assigned to a naval base in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
where he played for the San Francisco Barbarians which had dominated west coast soccer in the first half of the century. Keough was eventually sent to San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
as part of a destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
crew. After his discharge from the Navy, Keough returned to St. Louis. In 1948, he played for Paul Schulte Motors. In 1949, the team came under the sponsorship of McMahon Pontiac and which played in the lower division St. Louis Municipal League. He was with McMahon when selected for the U.S. national team as it entered qualification for the 1950 World Cup. When he returned home from the cup, Keough rejoined his team, now known as the St. Louis Raiders of the first division St. Louis Major League. The Raiders won both the league and National Amateur Cup
National Amateur Cup
The National Amateur Cup is an American soccer competition open to all amateur teams affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation...
championships in 1952, giving Keough his first “double”. Following the 1952 season, Tom Kutis took over sponsorship of the team, renaming it St. Louis Kutis S.C.
St. Louis Kutis S.C.
St. Louis Kutis Soccer Club, better known as St. Louis Kutis, is an amateur American soccer club in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1947 as the St. Louis Raiders, the club was known as Paul Schulte during the 1948-49 season and McMahon's during the 1949-50 season. In 1953, the team was renamed...
. The team continued its winning ways under its new name, winning the 1953 and 1954 league titles. It also went to the 1954 U.S. Open Cup final where it fell to New York Americans
New York Americans
The New York Americans were a professional ice hockey team based in New York, New York from 1925 to 1942. They were the third expansion team in the history of the National Hockey League and the second to play in the United States. The team never won the Stanley Cup, but reached the semifinals...
of the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. The St. Louis Major League had folded in 1954 and Kutis continued to play both as an independent team and as a member of various lower division city leagues over the next decade. Despite this turbulence, it continued to dominate both the city and national soccer scene. Kutis would win the National Amateur Cup each year from 1956 to 1961. In 1957, it won the U.S. Open Cup, giving Keough another double.
National and Olympic teams
In 1949, Keough was called into the national team for the 1949 NAFC Championship1949 NAFC Championship
Mexico: Raúl Córdoba, Felipe Zetter, Carlos Laviada, José Antonio Roca, Mario Ochoa, Héctor Ortíz, Antonio Flores, Luis Luna, Horacio Casarín, Luis "Pirata" de la Fuente, Carlos Septién...
, to be held in Mexico. This was the second time the NAFC had held a regional championship, but this one served as the qualification tournament for the World Cup as well. Keough gained his first cap with the national team in its 1-1 tie with Cuba on September 14, 1949. The U.S. finished second out of the three teams, giving it a spot in the cup for the first time since 1937. At the World Cup, Keough served as team capatin for the game against Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
"because he spoke Spanish." He also made appearances for the U.S. team in the 1952
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
and 1956 Summer Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
, as well as the qualifying matches for the 1954 and 1958 FIFA World Cup
1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
s. His last game with the national team was a 3-2 World Cup qualification loss to Canada
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
on July 6, 1957.
Coaching
Upon his retirement as a player, he became coach of Florissant Valley Community CollegeSt. Louis Community College
St. Louis Community College is the Missouri two-year college supported by the Junior College District of St. Louis City – St. Louis County. The three original campuses were built simultaneously in 1964: Florissant Valley , Forest Park , and Meramec . A fourth campus, Wildwood opened in August 2007...
. In 1967, St. Louis University hired him away from Florissant. In his first year with the Billikens, Keough took his team an NCAA co-championship. He then took his team to four additional championships during his tenure (1969, 1970, 1972, and 1973). When he retired from coaching in 1982, he had compiled a 213-50-23 record with SLU.
Recognition
Keough was inducted into the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame in 1972, the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1976 (along with his 1950 U.S. teammates), the St. Louis University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995, and the NSCAA Hall of Fame in 1996. In January 2004, Keough and the four other living members of the 1950 World Cup Team (Walter Bahr, Frank Borghi, Gino Pariani and John Souza) were recognized as Honorary All-Americans by the NSCAA at its annual convention in Charlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. In 1994, the book "The Game of Their Lives", was published, covering the 1950 U.S. World Cup Team's 1 - 0 victory in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, versus the highly favored English team, and in 2005 the movie was released (on DVD under the name "Miracle Match"). Keough was named as one of the 50 Greatest Athletes of the Century (for Missouri) by Sports Illustrated. On September 30, 2009, Keough was named to SLU's Half-Century Team
St. Louis University Men's Soccer Half-Century Team
The St. Louis University Men's Soccer Half-Century Team was announced September 30, 2009 by the St. Louis University Department of Athletics in celebration of the first 50 years of soccer at SLU...
, and on November 18, 2009, Keough was inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame as a member of its inaugural class.
Personal
During his playing career, Keough worked for the U.S. Postal Service. Keough's son Ty KeoughTy Keough
William “Ty” Keough is a former U.S. soccer player and coach who has served as a soccer broadcaster for several networks. He earned seven caps with the U.S. national team in 1979 and 1980. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic soccer team which qualified for the 1980 Summer Olympics. However, he...
was also a professional soccer player who played for the U.S. team and is now a sports commentator
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
for soccer broadcasts. His father Patrick appeared on the famous TV program The $64,000 Question in the mid-1950s where he won an automobile for answering questions about baseball. Keough suffers from Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
.
Documentary
Keough was featured in the 2009 soccer documentary A Time for ChampionsA Time for Champions
A Time for Champions is a 2009 documentary film produced by Bud Greenspan's Cappy Productions and St. Louis PBS affiliate KETC. It chronicles the St. Louis University soccer dynasty of the 1960s and 1970s. It includes interviews with 1950 US World Cup team members Frank Borghi, Harry Keough, and...
discussing the U.S. upset victory over England in the 1950 World Cup and his coaching career at St. Louis University.