Jack McKinnon (1972) - Hall of Fame - Brown University Athletics

Jack McKinnon

Induction:
1972

Jack McKinnon
Sport: Special
Year Inducted: 1972

Jack McKinnon gave the 50 best years of a good life to Brown University. Born in Providence in 1885, McKinnon joined the Brown training staff in 1909 as assistant to his brother-in-law, Charlie Huggins. At that time, the University’s athletic plant consisted of a small equipment room in what is now Lyman Hall and also the combined practice-playing area off Camp Street known as Andrews Field. During his half-century on the scene, McKinnon saw the construction of Brown Stadium in 1925, Marvel Gym in 1927, Aldrich Field in 1929, and the groundbreaking at Aldrich-Dexter shortly before his death. Behind his easy-going manner, McKinnon was an excellent trainer, in many ways a pioneer in his profession. Some of the bandages he either invented or improved upon in the 1930’s and 1940’s are today still being used by college and professional trainers from coast to coast. McKinnon was also an excellent good-will ambassador for Brown, spending countless hours taking care of high school players from around the state sent to him by their coaches. The genial McKinnon served seven of Brown’s head football coaches – Daff Gammons, Edward North Robinson, Tuss McLaughry, Skip Stahley, Rip Engle, Gus Zitrides, and Al Kelley. But his chief objective in life was to serve his boys, the steady stream of athletes who passed through the University during those 50 years. The boys came first, whether it was giving a rub-down, applying some tape, or just passing on some fatherly advice. No one would be prouder of the men being inducted into the Brown Hall of Fame tonight than Jack McKinnon.