Tom Keith is a farmboy who grew up in Colfax, Wash., never attending high school and joined the Army in 1916 and received his high school credits while in the service. He returned to Moscow in 1919 and graduated from Idaho in 1924.
Asked to try running with the track team in an afternoon workout, he beat all the squad members and then was asked to join the team by Coach Ray Harsh. He placed in every event in which he competed in his sophomore year and although he lost his junior year of running due to an injury, he returned in his senior year to highlight his career. Many of his marks remained on the record books for many years including a 10.2 100-yard sprint and a 22.0 flat 220 yard dash and also anchoring the relay teams.
He set his best time of 9.8 for the 100 yard dash against Montana in 1924. He was second in the PCC meet in the sprints and was selected as an alternate for the Olympic team. He served as a Captain in the Army during WWII and was on General Eisenhower's staff in Europe. He taught in the animal sciences field at Penn State and then had similar positions at Montana State before joining the faculty at the University of Idaho.
Since his retirement from Idaho he has been active as an author and has recently published a book, "The Horse Interlude," which is on the book shelves today. This book was sponsored by the Idaho Press and the Idaho Research Institute. Keith still remains very active and swims daily in the Idaho pool. His family includes his wife, Helen, two daughters, Helen and Patricia, and a son, Tom, Jr. The Keiths still reside in Moscow.