Media Release

For Immediate Release

July 28, 2008

Saint Mary’s mourns loss of Coach Keith

The Saint Mary’s University community was saddened today to learn Al Keith, former Saint Mary’s Huskies head football coach, passed away unexpectedly at the Halifax Infirmary on Sunday. He was 64.

Coach Keith led the Huskies to the College Bowl national championship in 1973. It was the first time an Atlantic university team won a national college football playoff championship involving representatives from all intercollegiate leagues. Keith was named Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year in 1971 and 1974, and he was inducted into the Saint Mary’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

While a student at Saint Mary’s during the early 1960s, Keith was a star on the Huskies football and hockey teams. He later returned to Saint Mary’s to be an assistant football coach under Bob Hayes.

Hayes hired Keith in 1969, and when Hayes decided to spend more time as athletic director the next season, Keith took over as head coach and recruiter for the football program.

Hayes, who is now Athletic Director Emeritus for Saint Mary’s, said Keith was the perfect candidate for the coaching job because he was a former player and strong academically.

“He was one of us and he was a good student,” said Hayes, jokingly adding the hiring was also helped by Keith’s willingness to travel and to accept the limited salary offered at the time.

“He was single and I needed a guy who could get on the road and recruit,” said Hayes.

At the time of Hayes’ call, Keith was coaching high school football in Ottawa. The experience served him well as a coach and recruiter with the Huskies.

“He was intelligent and had a great memory,” said Hayes. “He could appeal to students coming out of high school.”

During six years at the helm of the Huskies (1970 to 1975), he led the team to four league titles, amassing a 36-4 record. Later, after three years pursuing private business interests, he returned to Saint Mary’s to coach the football program again from 1979 until 1982, and to serve as acting athletic director in 1980-81.

Keith Hotchkiss, the Director of Student Services at Saint Mary’s, played on the 1973 national championship team. He credits Keith’s recruiting and coaching abilities as the foundation of the Huskies’ success during those championship years.

“He assembled a group of guys that all came together,” said Hotchkiss. “From my vantage point, our success was due largely due to his coaching and his talent as a recruiter.”

When the 1973 team was inducted into the Saint Mary’s University Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, Chronicle Herald columnist Hugh Townsend asked Keith about the early days when he was recruiting for the university.

“I was young and prepared to make the incredible sacrifice to go recruiting,” said Keith. “You sleep on friends’ couches, drive all over the country, check out players everywhere.”

The success of Keith’s recruiting efforts resulted in the national championship as well as several of his players being named as all-Canadians. Some key players who arrived during Keith’s tenure included Bill Robinson, Ken Clark, Mike Curry, Brian Burgess, Mike Riley, and Hector Pothier, who went on to play in the Canadian Football League.

But athletic success was only part of the legacy of Keith brought to the Saint Mary’s Huskies. He coached the team to win on the football field, but he also made sure they were successful in the classroom.

“He’d get after players who weren’t doing well in the classroom,” remembers Hotchkiss. “To his credit, the year I graduated (in 1973), 16 players graduated that year.” 

An obituary in today’s Chronicle-Herald notes that Keith died peacefully on Sunday, July 27, with his wife and partner of 31 years, Mary Lou, by his side. The notice also reminds us of the humour, charm and goodwill of a man who will always be remembered proudly as a Santamarian.

“He was gregarious, always with a big smile and a hearty laugh. He loved people and people loved him. There were few things Al hadn't tried during his full life: university athlete, high school teacher, national championship university football coach, restaurateur, house restorer, innkeeper, wholesale craft manufacturer, local politician and realtor were just some of them.” 

His life was a testament to the Saint Mary’s University motto: Age quod agis – What you do, do well. As coach Bob Hayes said, “He was one of us.”

Thanks Al. You will be missed and always treasured. Your legacy is our legacy.

Donations may be made to Saint Mary's University, the QEII Foundation or a charity of your choice.

A memorial service and celebration of Al's life is scheduled to be held Sept. 6 at 11 a.m. at Trinity United Church in Shelburne. There will also be a memorial service at Saint Mary's on Friday, Sept. 19 in the University Art Gallery from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m. 

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For more information:

Blake Patterson
Public Affairs Officer
Saint Mary's University, Public Affairs
(902) 420.5514
E-mail: blake.patterson@smu.ca
www.smu.ca