Last month in East Lansing, Michigan, a very special moment unfolded as Jamaican sports icon Dr. Kenneth “Tony” Keyes was formally inducted into the Michigan State University (MSU) Athletics Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony and banquet dinner took place on Friday, September 12, 2025, at the Jack Breslin Student Events Centre, home to the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Centre — where plaques of over 180 past inductees are displayed in honour of their contributions to MSU sport.
For Dr. Keyes, the recognition marked the pinnacle of an extraordinary athletic journey that began almost six decades ago in Kingston, Jamaica. Dressed in Spartan green, he was joined by his wife Geri, family, friends, and former teammates. In one of the evening’s most touching moments, his grandsons had the honour of helping him into his official MSU Hall of Fame jacket following his induction speech.
A Hall of Fame Class to Remember
The evening’s formalities featured reflections, dinner, and the induction ceremony itself, led by Master of Ceremonies Kevin Pauga and with opening remarks from MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz and Athletics Director J. Batt.
Joining Dr. Keyes in the 2025 Hall of Fame class were other Spartan greats, including Caroline Powers (Women’s Golf), Sam Vincent (Men’s Basketball), Kori Moster (Volleyball), Nick Simmons (Wrestling), and Mark Dantonio (Football Coach).
It was a fitting occasion to celebrate the legacy of a man whose name remains synonymous with excellence, discipline, and sportsmanship both on and off the field.
A Pioneer at the Penn Relays
Before he became a football legend, Keyes had already etched his name into history at the Penn Relays — the world’s oldest and largest track and field event. His story, begins at Kingston College (KC) in Jamaica — the same school that produced many of the island’s football and track greats. In 1964, Kingston College became the first Jamaican high school to compete in a championship race at the Relays.
The KC 440-yard relay team — comprising Jimmy Grant, Rupert Hoilette, Tony Keyes, and Lennox “Billy” Miller — stormed to victory with a time of 42.7 seconds, securing Jamaica’s first gold medal at the prestigious meet. That same year, KC also won Boys’ Champs, making 1964 a watershed moment in Jamaican schoolboy athletics.
Their triumph at Penn Relays opened the door for generations of Jamaican athletes to follow. In 2014, on the 50th anniversary of their victory, the team was added to the Penn Relays Wall of Fame in recognition of their historic achievement.
Reflecting on that iconic race, Keyes once recalled: “I just waited until Hoilette hit my mark, and after a near-perfect exchange, I was off. I just kept passing one man after another.” His coach, Donavan Davie, later told him that his blistering corner leg had sealed the win.
A Record-Setting Journey at Michigan State
Nearly sixty years after he first stepped onto the field for MSU, Tony Keyes still holds the record as the most prolific goal scorer in the university’s history. Keyes was part of a remarkable pipeline of Jamaican athletes who made their way to the United States in the late 1960s to play Division I football for coach Gene Kenney.
Among them were Trevor “Jumpy” Harris, Frank “Bowla” Morant, and Les Lucas, all of whom played alongside Keyes at KC before joining him at Michigan State.
It was another KC alum, Payton Fuller, who helped persuade coach Kenney to recruit Keyes — a decision that would prove pivotal for Spartan football.
Keyes’s debut season in 1966 was spectacular. As a sophomore, he earned the first of his two All-American honours, scoring 21 goals — still the fifth-highest single-season total in MSU history. Two years later, in 1968, he set a university record with 28 goals in one season — a record that stands to this day. That year, Michigan State went 11–1–3, and Keyes, as team captain, led them to victory in the national semi-final against Brown University and then to a draw in the final against the University of Maryland, securing back-to-back national co-championships.
A Career Beyond the Pitch
After hanging up his boots, Keyes’s pursuit of excellence continued in the classroom. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Howard University in 1976 and returned to Jamaica to provide dental care for schoolchildren. He later relocated to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he practised dentistry before pursuing a Master’s in Public Health at Johns Hopkins University in 1986.
For over two decades, Dr. Keyes worked at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., before retiring — leaving behind a legacy of service and compassion that mirrored his achievements in sport.
Honoured at Spartan Stadium
The celebrations continued the day after the induction ceremony, when the 2025 MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Class was honoured at the Michigan State vs Youngstown State football game at Spartan Stadium. During halftime, the inductees — including Dr. Keyes — took to the field to thunderous applause from the Spartan faithful.
Before returning to Maryland, Dr. Keyes and his wife Geri visited the home of his longtime friends Ray and Ouida Ford in East Lansing. Keyes fondly recalled their shared journey from childhood neighbours in Kingston, to classmates at KC, to university peers at MSU.
He also spoke warmly of his memories growing up in Jamaica, his time at Howard University, and friendships with figures like Bob Marley and Alan “Skill” Cole, the footballer-turned-reggae road manager who accompanied Marley on his final tour in 1980.
A Legacy That Inspires
The Hall of Fame induction weekend was filled with joy, nostalgia, and gratitude. For Dr. Keyes, the honour not only celebrates his individual achievements but also represents a broader legacy of Jamaican excellence on the world stage.
From breaking barriers at the Penn Relays to setting records at Michigan State, and from serving his community as a dentist and public health professional, Dr. Keyes’s story is one of perseverance, humility, and national pride.