Award winning Author and a Pioneer in turning the pulicizing of college athletes and sports into a respected profession. Keith attended schools in Oklahoma, Texas, and Missouri. He received his bacholors degree and masters degree in history from the University of Oklahoma , where he studied under Walter Campbell. While a student he was a champion long distance runner. He had a lifelong interest in marathon running, winning the Valley Conference Championship, the OK AAU cross-country race, and the Penns Relay steeplechase. After graduation he served as a football coach. In 1930 he was hired to the postion of Publicist of the athletes and sports at which he served for 39 years. He was the founder and served as President of the College Sports Information Directors of America and received their prestigious Arch award in 1961. He received OU's prestigious Distinguised Service Citation in 1987. Harold received a Contributions to Amateur Football Award from the Oklahoma Chapter of the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989. He was inducted into the sports information directors sector of the Helms Foundation Hall of Fame in 1969 and the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 1987. He had the nickname of Grantland. He wrote two sports books, the first "Oklahoma Kickoff" covered sports from 1895 thru 1920. The second "Forty Seven Straight" commenerated Bud Wilkinsons teams from 1953 thru 1957. He wrote 16 other books that that were non-sports of the fiction variety. Some of them were "Boys Life of Will Rogers" written in 1936:"Sports and Games" in 1940: "Rifles for Watie" which he recieved the Newberry Award in 1957: "Komanticia" won the New York Times Best Book Award in 1965, "Suzys Scoundrel", "The Obstinate Land" Other books included "The Bluejay Boarders", "Brief Garland", and "The Runt of Rogers School". In 1993 he received the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Center for the Book. His Newberry award is on display at Norman. His parents were Malcolm A. and Arlyn Kee Keith. He married married Virginia Livingston in 1931. They had two children.

Award winning Author and a Pioneer in turning the pulicizing of college athletes and sports into a respected profession. Keith attended schools in Oklahoma, Texas, and Missouri. He received his bacholors degree and masters degree in history from the University of Oklahoma , where he studied under Walter Campbell. While a student he was a champion long distance runner. He had a lifelong interest in marathon running, winning the Valley Conference Championship, the OK AAU cross-country race, and the Penns Relay steeplechase. After graduation he served as a football coach. In 1930 he was hired to the postion of Publicist of the athletes and sports at which he served for 39 years. He was the founder and served as President of the College Sports Information Directors of America and received their prestigious Arch award in 1961. He received OU's prestigious Distinguised Service Citation in 1987. Harold received a Contributions to Amateur Football Award from the Oklahoma Chapter of the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989. He was inducted into the sports information directors sector of the Helms Foundation Hall of Fame in 1969 and the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 1987. He had the nickname of Grantland. He wrote two sports books, the first "Oklahoma Kickoff" covered sports from 1895 thru 1920. The second "Forty Seven Straight" commenerated Bud Wilkinsons teams from 1953 thru 1957. He wrote 16 other books that that were non-sports of the fiction variety. Some of them were "Boys Life of Will Rogers" written in 1936:"Sports and Games" in 1940: "Rifles for Watie" which he recieved the Newberry Award in 1957: "Komanticia" won the New York Times Best Book Award in 1965, "Suzys Scoundrel", "The Obstinate Land" Other books included "The Bluejay Boarders", "Brief Garland", and "The Runt of Rogers School". In 1993 he received the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Center for the Book. His Newberry award is on display at Norman. His parents were Malcolm A. and Arlyn Kee Keith. He married married Virginia Livingston in 1931. They had two children.