Howard Keys
Encyclopedia
Howard Newton "Sonny" Keys was an American football
offensive lineman in the National Football League
from 1960 to 1965 with the Philadelphia Eagles
. He was born in Orlando, Oklahoma
, on January 24, 1935. Sonny was a star athlete for the Pioneers at Stillwater High School in Stillwater, Oklahoma where he played football, basketball, baseball and track. He was named to the Oklahoma All-State football team and played in the All Stars game and the Oil Bowl. His high school named Sonny "Mr. Pioneer." He played all positions on the line, including center
. He went to college at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater
. At OSU, he was part of the Cowboys championship Blue Grass Bowl game which was broadcast by Howard Cosell. Sonny is described as a "mauling defender" in OSU's Heritage Hall Museum in historic Gallagher-Iba Arena. He was drafted in the 12th round of the 1959 NFL Draft
. He was a part of Buck Shaw
's 1960 NFL Championship
season. He played five seasons with the Eagles and was known for knowing and playing every position on the offensive line. His family was featured in many local advertisements including Food Fair and a dairy distributorship. His teammate, Tommy McDonald, cited a tough Sonny Keys in the book "They Pay Me to Catch Footballs." In 1965, he joined Jerry Williams of the Calgary Stampeders as an assistant coach. After the Stampeders went to the Canadian Grey Cup, he chose to return to the NFL as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Browns under head coach Nick Skorich. After his death from complications of cancer in 1971, the Philadelphia Eagles dedicated their annual Christmas card to his memory. His outstanding scouting and recruiting abilities made his legacy live on in the NFL. For example, he brought fellow OSU alum, Jerry Sherk, to the Cleveland Browns, along with other top talents. As part of the 1960s world championship football team, Sonny was inducted into the city of Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive lineman in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
from 1960 to 1965 with the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was born in Orlando, Oklahoma
Orlando, Oklahoma
Orlando is a town in Logan and Payne counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 201 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Orlando is located at ....
, on January 24, 1935. Sonny was a star athlete for the Pioneers at Stillwater High School in Stillwater, Oklahoma where he played football, basketball, baseball and track. He was named to the Oklahoma All-State football team and played in the All Stars game and the Oil Bowl. His high school named Sonny "Mr. Pioneer." He played all positions on the line, including center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
. He went to college at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
. At OSU, he was part of the Cowboys championship Blue Grass Bowl game which was broadcast by Howard Cosell. Sonny is described as a "mauling defender" in OSU's Heritage Hall Museum in historic Gallagher-Iba Arena. He was drafted in the 12th round of the 1959 NFL Draft
1959 NFL Draft
The 1959 National Football League Draft was held on December 2, 1958 and January 21, 1959 .-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...
. He was a part of Buck Shaw
Buck Shaw
Lawrence T. "Buck" Shaw was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach for Santa Clara University, the University of California, Berkeley, the San Francisco 49ers, the United States Air Force Academy, and the Philadelphia Eagles...
's 1960 NFL Championship
NFL Championship Game, 1960
The 1960 National Football League championship game was the 28th NFL title game. The game was played on Monday, December 26, 1960 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
season. He played five seasons with the Eagles and was known for knowing and playing every position on the offensive line. His family was featured in many local advertisements including Food Fair and a dairy distributorship. His teammate, Tommy McDonald, cited a tough Sonny Keys in the book "They Pay Me to Catch Footballs." In 1965, he joined Jerry Williams of the Calgary Stampeders as an assistant coach. After the Stampeders went to the Canadian Grey Cup, he chose to return to the NFL as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Browns under head coach Nick Skorich. After his death from complications of cancer in 1971, the Philadelphia Eagles dedicated their annual Christmas card to his memory. His outstanding scouting and recruiting abilities made his legacy live on in the NFL. For example, he brought fellow OSU alum, Jerry Sherk, to the Cleveland Browns, along with other top talents. As part of the 1960s world championship football team, Sonny was inducted into the city of Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.