Earl Keth


Earl Kenneth Keth was an American basketball player and coach, known for his long association with the University of Central Missouri.
Keth was an All-American player for Central Missouri, a third-team selection by Converse in 1938. In both his junior and senior seasons, Keth led the team to the NAIA national championship. In 1971, Keth was named to the 10-man all-time NAIA All-tournament team.
After stints as a high school coach and in the military, Keth became the Mules' head basketball coach in 1946 and remained in that position until 1961. During that time, Keth's teams went 159–167. Upon leaving this role, Keth became the head golf coach for the school until his death on the school's golf course on April 19, 1972.
Keth is a member of the University of Central Missouri Athletic Hall of Fame, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Hall of Fame and the NAIA Hall of Fame. Additionally, the Keth Memorial Golf Course on the UCM campus is named after Keth.