Story courtesy of Kentucky State Athletics
FRANKFORT, Ky. (November 9, 2012) – Kentucky State University faculty, staff, students and alumni are mourning the loss of longtime professor and former sports information director and baseball and golf coach, Ron Braden.
Ronald “Ron” Braden, an instructor of health and physical education at Kentucky State University and former sports information director and golf coach, passed away on Nov. 5, 2012. The funeral service will be held at noon Monday, Nov. 12, at Watson Grove Missionary Baptist Church (1415 Horton Ave., Nashville, Tenn., 37212). The visitation will be held at 11 a.m. until noon, before the funeral.
Braden received a bachelor's degree from Tennessee State University in 1972. He competed on the TSU baseball team before going on to coach with the Tiger program for three years.
While attending Tennessee State University, Braden received All-Midwest Conference Honors in baseball and holds the TSU baseball record for consecutive runners picked off a base in a single inning, three against David Lipscomb College. He also received the TSU Athletics Department Outstanding Service Award.
A native of Chapel Hill, Tenn., Braden served as the sports information director and head golf coach at Kentucky State University for 12 years. His golf team won the 14th National Minority College Golf Championship in 2000 held at the PGA Golf Club in Port. St. Lucie, Fla.
Prior to his stint at Kentucky State, Braden was a district executive for the Boy Scouts of America. He also held positions in intercollegiate athletics as sports information director, assistant football/head football coach and head baseball coach at Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn., and he was assistant baseball coach at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tenn.
During the Continental Olympic Games in Atlanta, Braden was a member of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Press Operations Staff. He served as Interview Room and Mixed Zone Manager for the Badminton competition held at Georgia State University.
As a collegiate head football coach, Braden received SIAC Coach of the Week Honors in 1981 at Fisk University. As a collegiate baseball coach, Braden coached two NCAA Champions - Reggie Jackson, Season Strikeout Champ (144 in 84 innings for 15.4 average) at Fisk University in 1981; and Denton Higgins, Triples Champ (10 in 33 games for 0.30 average) at Kentucky State University in 1991.
On Wednesday, November 14 Kentucky State Student-Athletes will hold a candlelight vigil for Coach Ron Braden after the Men's Basketball game. The vigil will be held outside in front of Exum (near the main entrance to campus). Should it rain, The vigil will be held in the gym at Exum. We ask faculty, staff and students to join us as we honor and remember the life of Mr. Braden.