The late Ken Keim Sr., who graduated from Allentown High School in 1975, stands poolside at Indiana University, where he went on to become a four-year letter winner and earned All-American accolades in 1977, 1978 and 1979. PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERTA KEIM A s a senior at Allentown High School in 1975, Kenneth G. Keim Sr. set two state records during qualifying heats for two freestyle races and then proceeded to shatter both of those marks in the state swimming championships.
Keim’s record-setting time for the 200- meter race was 1:42.2. His time of 4:35.1 for the 500-meter race was less than 4 seconds off the national record.
During the eastern seaboard championships that same year, he set a national record of 1:42.1 in the 200-meter freestyle and held it for 13 years, longer than any other high school or prep school studentathlete before or after him, according to his former wife, Roberta Keim.
Keim’s swimming talent earned him a full scholarship to Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., where he went on to become a four-year letter winner (1976-79) for coach James “Doc” Counsilman, earning All-American honors in 1977, 1978 and 1979.
He was the Big Ten champion in the 500-meter freestyle in 1978 and went on to earnAll-American honors in the 800-meter freestyle relay (ninth) and 400-meter freestyle relay (14th) at the NCAA Championships that year.
In 1977 he earned All-American honors as part of the 800-meter freestyle (seventh) and 400-meter freestyle relay (eighth). He also earned a pair of All-American honors in the same events in 1979, according to Roberta Keim.
Counsilman coached many world-class swimmers, including Mark Spitz. His coaching techniques also led Keim to the 1980 Olympic Trials in Long Beach, Calif., to try to earn a spot on the U.S. team for the Moscow Summer Olympics. The only thing that kept Keim from swimming in the Olympics was the United States’ boycott of the event due to the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. Keim ended his career by swimming across the English Channel on Oct. 1, 1987.
Having grown up in a family of athletes with a father who believed sports to be a vehicle to a higher level of education, and having earned a full scholarship to college as a result of his swimming talents, Keim always dreamed of creating a foundation that would help provide financial assistance to high school student-athletes who do not have the means to go to college.
Keim did not get a chance to fulfill this dream, since he died unexpectedly at the age of 53 on July 10.
Although Keim never had a chance to establish his foundation for aspiring athletes, his family annually presents the Kenneth G. Keim Jr. Memorial Scholarship Award to student-athletes who display character, courage and discipline. Roberta and their daughter, Katherine, created the award in honor of his late son, Ken Keim Jr., who died at the age of 22 in a car accident on Sept. 25, 2005. Keim Jr. excelled in wrestling and served as captain of the varsity squad prior to graduating fromAllentown High School in 2002.
“Kenny was a talented wrestler and athlete with great sportsmanship and leadership qualities,” Roberta said of her late son. “His mannerisms I compare to a swimmer winning a close race and immediately stretching a hand over his swimming lane to shake his competitor’s hand. These are mannerisms of a leader and a true champion. The scholarship is based on these attributes as well as on athleticism.”
This year the Keims presented scholarship money to Allentown High School’s Ross Scheuerman, Justin Shaffer, Sal Triscari and Justin Duffy.
Although Keim Sr. did not have a chance to do more for high school athletes who need financial assistance for higher education, his family hopes the swimming legacy he left behind and the scholarship they offer in his son’s name will continue to inspire Allentown High School students to seek a higher level of knowledge and understanding in athletics and academics.