2004 Greater Flint Afro-American Hall of Fame Inductee
Category: TRACK AND FIELD AND CROSS COUNTRY
Parents: Rev. B.F. and Azelean Young
Wife: Hattie Donald Young
Daughter: Alexandria Young
Sons: Damonde Griggs, Ricardo Hart, Brandon Figgers
Keith grew up on Flint’s north side and attended Martin and Civic Park Elementary schools. He went to Emerson and Emerson Intermediate Middle school. After graduating from Flint Northern, he attended the University of Tennessee where he was an All American in track and field for four years.
In high school Keith was one of the greatest track and cross country runners in Flint Northern’s history…says his coach Norb Badar. Keith was a two time All State cross country runner. His best cross country performance was his 14:31 three mile victory at the Tri State Championship in Toledo, Ohio.
The Harrier Magazine selected Keith to their 1974 cross country All American team. In track and field, Keith captured the 1974 and 1975 state championships in the 880 yard run with a time of 1:53.4 and 1:53.3 respectively. A track and field All American his senior year Keith was the first high school American runner to cross the half mile finish line in the Chicago International Prep. meet with a time of 1:50.3 in 1975. He was named to the Scholastic Magazine All American high school track and field team. Keith was the Flint area 440 champion in 1975 with a time of 48.8 and the Tri State 880 champion in 1975 with a time of 1:51.4.
Keith attended the University of Tennessee and anchored Tennessee’s winning indoor National championship distance medley relay team in 1979 with a time of 4: 03.7. At the 1980 NCAA indoor championship held at Joe Lewis Arena (11 laps to a mile), Keith anchored the second place Tennessee distance medley squad with a personal best time of 4:01.7 mile run. His finest collegiate 880 run was 1:41.7. In 1980, Keith’s running earned him Athlete of the Decade.
Keith lives in Flint and works for the State of Michigan as a Departmental Analyst in the Juvenile Justice System.
Congratulations, you make Flint proud!
