Prospect scholarship memorializes grad who was an Air Force test pilot
Two Prospect High School seniors, James Ford and Catherine Sherwood, last month received the Michael J. Keane Award, a $1,000 college scholarship.
While the award is not huge, it is notable in its longevity, having just entered its second quarter-century, in its purpose, rewarding a combination of athletic and academic achievement rather than one of the other, and in the story behind its founding after the death of a Prospect grad, a star Air Force test pilot killed in the line of duty.
According to information furnished by Prospect Athletic Director Tom Martindale, James Ford was picked because he was a four-year, three-sport athlete. He participated in football, wrestling and track. He was a three-year varsity starter for football, and this year was selected to the all-conference and Daily Herald all area teams. James played offensive tackle and guard and defensive tackle.
James also was a two-time state qualifier in wrestling and a two-time regional champion. He was also a two-time MSL Conference finalist and was the 2015 MSL champion. He was the captain of two MSL east champion teams. And James participated in the track program for four years as a shot and disc thrower.
Catherine was picked because she was a four-year, three-sport athlete. Catherine participated in volleyball, basketball and track. She earned All-Academic status in 2014 as a volleyball player. She scored more than 1,000 points in basketball. She was selected for all-conference and Daily Herald all area teams the past two years.
Catherine was a triple jumper and long jump athlete for track. She earned a sixth-place medal in the triple jump and a ninth-place medal in the long jump last year. She was the MSL conference champion and also the IHSA Sectional champion in the long and triple jump, and holds the school record in both.
Catherine and James have been very good students in the classroom and have earned high marks, and both have represented Prospect on the athletic field with pride and respect, Martindale said.
Donald Keane, the father of Michael Keane, said his son won the scholar/athlete award in 1972, and his younger brothers, Mark and Paul, won it in 1974 and 1980, giving it great significance in the family. After his son died and he learned that particular award was no longer being given, the family decided in 1986 to create a trust to fund the award, renamed after Michael.
As for Michael, after graduating seventh in the 1972 Prospect class of 605 students, he graduated second in his Air Force Academy class of 920 students.
In 1986, after a year of study he was awarded the McKenna Trophy at the Empire Test Pilot School in Boscombe, England, which he attended on the recommendation of famous test pilot Chuck Yeager as the country's representative that year under NATO. He was the first Air Force pilot to win the honor in more than 20 years.
His favorite plane was the F-16 fighter and his goal was to be a space shuttle pilot, according to his dad.
On May 22, 1987, Michael Keane, by then a major, was flying a T-38 chase plane observing testing of an F-15 at Edwards Air Force Base in California. As he was returning to base in spotty clouds, he was involved in a midair collision with a small private plane, killing both people on each plane.
After his death, Donald Keane learned that, despite the congested airspace used by civilian and military aircraft, the 40 F-4 and T-38 chase planes in use were not equipped with the onboard radar and anti-collision devices more modern planes on the base had.
Less than two months before his death, Michael Keane had prepared a report on the danger of midair collisions at the base and steps that should be taken to avoid them, especially as regarded the F-4 and T-38.
After his son's death, Donald Keane campaigned for safety improvements while the Air Force investigated the accident. Within three months after Michael died, the Air Force stopped using the T-38, Donald Keane said.