| Wins against Kentucky - 7 | Losses against Kentucky - 2 |
Alma Mater: Minnesota [1913]
Hometown: Detroit Lakes, MN
Date Born: March 8, 1890
Date Died: February 17, 1943
Overall Record: 418-125 [27 Seasons]

Obituary - Chicago Tribune (February 18, 1943)

GEO. KEOGAN, NOTRE DAME COACH, DIES

Heart Attack Fatal in Home

South Bend, Ind., Feb. 17 (Special). - George Keogan, veteran Notre Dame basketball coach, died here tonight of a heart attack. Dr. Keogan had been in ill health thruout most of the winter and several times Ed Krause, his assistant, has directed the Irish team in games as well as in practice.

Altho he had been forced to curtail his activities since a severe heart attack two years ago necessitated his remaining out of coaching for the rest of the season, his death tonight came as a shock. He had conducted practice this afternoon for his team's game with Great Lakes in Chicago Saturday night and was at home reading a newspaper when stricken, about 9:15 o'clock.

Had Brilliant Record

Keogan, who would have been 53 March 8, had long rated among the leading basketball coaches in the nation and his 20 season record at Notre Dame was 327 games won against only 96 lost. The present Irish team was one of his best, having lost only to Kentucky in 13 games to date.

Survivors are his widow, Mrs. Ruby Keogan of South Bend, to whom he was married Thanksgiving day, 1932, and his mother, Mrs. T.M. Keogan, and one sister, Mrs. Clark Deahl, both of Minneapolis.

Joins Notre Dame in 1923

He coached successively, starting at Charles City, Ia., college in 1909, at Lockport, Ill., Township High school one years, Riverside, Ill., High School one year, Superior, Wis., State Teachers college, 1912 to 1914, St. Louis University one year, and St. Thomas college, St. Paul, Minn., one year. He then entered the United States army, serving at Fort Snelling as an artillery instructor despite his efforts to get a transfer overseas.

Keogan resumed coaching at Allegheny college, Meadville, Pa., in 1917-18, turning out his only undefeated basketball team there. It won 38 games. He spent the next two years at Valparaiso, Ind., university, and then coach La Crosse, Wis. High School until he came to Notre Dame in the autumn of 1923 as head coach of basketball and baseball, and assistant to Knute Rockne, head football coach. The last four teams he coached before coming to Notre Dame - at St. Thomas, Allegheny, Valparaiso, and La Crosse, won 151 out of 161 games.

Three Great Teams Produced

The 1923-24 team won 15 games out of 23. The next season the Irish won only 11 while losing 10, but the next three years saw three of the game's greatest teams produced on the Irish campus. The first two won 19 out of 20 games and the third took 18 out of 22 for a three year mark of 56 victories in 62 starts. Louis Conroy, Johnny Nyikos, Francis Crowe, and Ed Smith were among the stars for the Irish of this period. The late Noble E. Rizer, inter athletic director and football coach for Purdue, was a member of the 1924-25 team.

The 1931-32 team also ranks with the all-time greats. It broke even in its first four games, then won the final 16, sparked by Ed (Moose) Krause. As a senior Krause led the team to 20 victories in 24 starts.

Two years later, Keogan produced the famous Paul Nowak-Johnny Moir teams which won 62 games out of 71, playing a 20-all tie with Northwestern.

Among the outstanding winning streaks Keogan-coached teams compiled were the 1923-24 and 193-34 mark of 22 straight over two seasons, and two-season chains of 19 straight three times, 17 straight and 16 straight. Best single season mark came in 1931-32 when Notre Dame won 16 in a row.

This page was made with a Macintosh
What Flavors Your Mac ?