McKeel part of 2010 HOF Class

Ethridge "Bokum" McKeel

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McKeel, known to his teammates and many friends as "Bokum", was a standout athlete during his time at Rector High School. He stood out not only for his talent, but also for his size, standing 6'5" when he graduated high school in 1932.

While records from his time as a player are limited, McKeel was considered by many to be the best player in Clay County, which at that time included several more schools, in just the eighth grade. He lettered in basketball all four years of high school, 1929, 1930, 1931 and 1932. He showed his natural athleticism by also lettering in baseball and football during that time.

Since official statistics were not kept, McKeel's output cannot be measured by numbers, as with so many athletes. However, most local historians agree he averaged more than 10 points per game in an era where most team scores ranged from 14 to 30 points per game.

Even more impressive is his streak of leading Rector to championships in the Clay County Tournament each of his four years in high school. He was named to the All Clay County Tournament Team four times, as well as named Most Valuable Player in the 1932 tourney. McKeel was named All-District on two occasions, in a time when Rector was paired with much larger schools.

As a member of the Rector Independent Baseball Team in 1933, McKeel played first base for the team which went on to win the state championship.

McKeel attended Murray State, known as Murray Teacher's College at the time, beginning in 1935. He made an immediate impact on the squad, being named captain of the freshman team. As a senior in 1938, McKeel was selected as a Basketball All-American for his performance on the court. He also led Murray State to its first conference championship. In 1938, the team finished third in the national tournament, in a game that was viewed by Dr. James A. Naismith, the inventor of basketball. McKeel left Murray State as its second leading scorer of all-time. In 1972, he was inducted into the school's hall of fame.

McKeel was also a successful coach, amassing a 309-106 overall record in 15 years while coaching at Rector, Leachville, Green County Tech, Bragg City, Perryville, Hoxie and Cardwell. His teams appeared in seven state playoffs.

Because of his outstanding career as both a player and coach, McKeel is being inducted into the Rector High School Sports Hall of Fame as both, honoring his skill on both the floor and the sideline.