A Great Auburn Man - Kenny Howard Dies

[augolf1716 21,122]

Sad sad day for some of us older guys

 

So respected was Kenny Howard as an athletic trainer, the expansion Dallas Cowboys offered him a job in the early 60s.

“I said, ‘No, can’t leave Auburn,’” Howard recalled in September.

Howard, Auburn’s trainer during all 25 seasons (1951-75) Ralph “Shug” Jordan coached the Tigers, died Monday in his sleep. He was 90.

An Auburn Man for more than 70 years, Howard first started working as Auburn’s student trainer in 1946.

After graduating, Coach Wilbur Hutsell hired Howard full-time. When Coach Jordan came back to Auburn from Georgia in 1951, he kept Howard as trainer and assigned him to help with the team’s travel logistics.

“The beginning of a long friendship I had with Coach Jordan,” Howard said.

“Kenny Howard was defined by his human touch for all who knew him and all who came under his influence,” Director of Athletics Jay Jacobs said. “As a trainer who worked with every Auburn student-athlete for more than four decades, Kenny’s impact on the lives of those who competed here is impossible to measure. He was a great Auburn man who lived his life by the values expressed in our Creed.

“Kenny was also a key member of the leadership team during the Jordan-Beard Era, one of the most important times in the history of Auburn Athletics. The program we have today was built on the shoulders of men like Coach Jordan, Mr. Beard and unsung heroes like Kenny Howard. I offer my condolences and sincere appreciation to Kenny’s family, the only thing he loved more than Auburn.”

 

Last September, Kenny Howard attended the 40-year reunion of Auburn's 1976 team.

In his later years, Howard usually watched Auburn football games on television from his home a few miles from campus. He returned in September to the stadium named after his longtime friend when Auburn’s 1976 team celebrated its 40-year reunion.

“It’s a great thing to see those guys because they get together at these reunions, and it’s just like they never left here,” Howard said. “They’re back to being kids again.”

Since his arrival from Crossville, Ala., seven decades earlier, much had changed. But two things, Howard said, had not: Auburn people, and the competitiveness of Auburn’s student-athletes.

“The same now as it was then are the fans,” he said. “They’re the same. They are very, very loyal to Auburn. They thoroughly enjoy coming to the ballgames. In that way, it’s the same.

“Everything about the game has changed, except maybe the intensity of the athletes so far as his competitive spirit. That competitive spirit is still there – it’s the same. And I hope it always will be.”

 

Kenny Howard says Auburn fans' loyalty, and student-athletes' competitive spirit, remained constant over seven decades.

Kenny Howard was Coach Jordan’s closest friend, having served as trainer when Jordan coached Auburn’s basketball team after returning from World War II.

When Coach Jordan retired after the 1975 season, Howard left the field to become Auburn’s assistant athletic director.

“I wish that everyone could have had the experience of knowing and being with Coach Jordan. Because he set a standard for these athletes that has stood them in good stead all of these years of what it requires to be a good, solid citizen.”

Those who were fortunate enough to have known Mr. Kenny feel the same way.

“He touched and influenced lives at all areas of Auburn Athletics,” former athletic director and sports information director David Housel said.

“Perhaps the finest thing you can say about a man is simply this, ‘He was a good man,’” Housel said. “And Kenny Howard was a great Auburn Man.”

[SaltyTiger 7,795]

Thanks for the post Golf. Great times - different - but great. Kenny Howard was a staple in Auburn history.Never met him but did meet some family.

[Mikey 16,583]

He was a fixture, and a solid PLUS for Auburn.

[Eagle-1 3,821]

When I was young Mr. Howard, and a few others epitomized what Auburn was all about to me. Coach Jordan, Gene Lorendo, Bill Beckwith, Shot Senn, Coach Umbach. Hurts to lose another great Auburn man.

[milehighfan 1,240]

I never met him but may you RIP, Mr. Howard

[tigerman1186 537]

Always at practice (towards the end of coach Jordan's days) he would be with coach Jordan riding in his golf cart usually stopped at one end of the field or the other and then they would drive up at the end of practice and coach would get out and give his talk...one thing that was funny was when someone got hurt at practice, Kenny would get out of the golf car, take two puffs, throw down his cigarette and walk over to where the player was down (usually coach Waltrop was already attending the injured player), but unfortunately the day Randy Walls went down in bowl practice, Kenny threw down his cigarette and sprinted over to him....everyone knew how important Randy was to the team....I wondered how many ankles he taped during his career; would like to have a $1 for each one, could retire now...good man, thanks for being a true Auburn man!!!!

[atl-tiger 655]

My grandfather played from 58-61 and had nothing but good things to say about Mr. Howard. I had the pleasure of meeting him last spring during one of the scrimmages the letter men were able to attend.  He was still cracking jokes with everybody.  RIP Mr. Howard.

[Slammer1 409]

On 2/28/2017 at 0:35 PM, Eagle-1 said:

When I was young Mr. Howard, and a few others epitomized what Auburn was all about to me. Coach Jordan, Gene Lorendo, Bill Beckwith, Shot Senn, Coach Umbach. Hurts to lose another great Auburn man.

I am glad someone remembers Coach Umbach. I wrestled my freshman year and he was the very  best in the SEC. He had a glass eye and you never knew when he had his good eye on you, lol,I was very sad to see wrestling get canned. The younger folks on here probably weren't even aware we ever had wrestling at AU. We won the SEC several times , more that any other school in the SEC..Coach Umbach, great man, I was very sad to hear of his passing. WDE!!! Coach

[johnnyAU 3,630]

I saw a couple a little over a week ago at a pub here in Mid TN.  They both came in using walkers and sat down together at the bar. I was with my daughter and happened to notice the gentleman left an Auburn cap on his walker seat.  Of course, as most of us would, I commented on how nice I thought that hat was.  We spoke briefly about our relative time spent at the loveliest village on the plains.  Just a genuinely nice man and his lovely wife having a beer and glass of wine on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

He graduated with a business degree from Auburn in 1954!  I was proud to have met them, discuss our love of Auburn and exchange War Eagles.

 

[AURocketman 73]

1 hour ago, Slammer1 said:

I am glad someone remembers Coach Umbach. I wrestled my freshman year and he was the very  best in the SEC. He had a glass eye and you never knew when he had his good eye on you, lol,I was very sad to see wrestling get canned. The younger folks on here probably weren't even aware we ever had wrestling at AU. We won the SEC several times , more that any other school in the SEC..Coach Umbach, great man, I was very sad to hear of his passing. WDE!!! Coach

Did you know my cousin Henry Starnes?  Think they beat everybody but Oklahoma.

[Slammer1 409]

16 hours ago, AURocketman said:

Did you know my cousin Henry Starnes?  Think they beat everybody but Oklahoma.

No, sorry, I don't recall the name but this was 1957 so your cousin probably came along after that  time. I have run into Ken Rice at Big Canoe over here in Georgia, he was an All American football player at AU and was also  our heavy weight on the wrestling team back then. I don't think he never lost a match. Oklahoma, Iowa and Iowa State ruled collegiate wrestling, probably still do. The sport has suffered tremendously to make room for women's athletics. I know that is what killed wrestling at AU.

[Eagle-1 3,821]

I actually went to a match a few short years before we dismantled the wrestling program, that I swear I believe was against Oklahoma. I'm only 54 now, so I was pretty young. I was with my brother, who is 16 years older than myself. He was on the AU power lifting team.

 

[Eagle-1 3,821]

19 hours ago, Slammer1 said:

I am glad someone remembers Coach Umbach. I wrestled my freshman year and he was the very  best in the SEC. He had a glass eye and you never knew when he had his good eye on you, lol,I was very sad to see wrestling get canned. The younger folks on here probably weren't even aware we ever had wrestling at AU. We won the SEC several times , more that any other school in the SEC..Coach Umbach, great man, I was very sad to hear of his passing. WDE!!! Coach

I only met him once, or twice. I was just a kid, but my brother had him for PE, and knew him because he was in the AU power lifting club. Not sure what year my brother graduated, but his freshman year was 66. My Dad was there in 54.

[1913-14 263]

A GREAT GUY...I can hear him now...'Hub, Hub'...calling Herb Waldrop

[augolf1716 21,122]

7 minutes ago, 1913-14 said:

A GREAT GUY...I can hear him now...'Hub, Hub'...calling Herb Waldrop

lol so true