Kenny Baker
From birth Kenny Baker was destined to be a good athlete. His dad, John, was one of the best baseball pitchers in the area in the 1940s and 50s. His mother Jo was a physical education teacher and coach at Bedford and a member of the Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame for her coaching. Kenny earned three letters in football and baseball at Bedford High School before graduating in 1965.
Kenny was well known for his hard hitting in football, but he was also a very good hitter in baseball. His junior year he led the Bedford County League in batting with an average of .529 and helped lead Bedford to the Bedford County League Championship. His senior year his average dropped to .367 and Bedford finished second in the league.
Baker was a big hitter as a pulling guard in Bedford’s single wing offense and as a nose guard/linebacker on defense. Kenny also kicked 36 extra points and two field goals at Bedford. For his aggressive play, Baker was voted by the coaches to the Bedford County Football All-Star Team as both a junior and senior. He also was named to the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat’s 1st Team as a guard in 1964. His top honor was being named Second Team All-State as a senior in an era when there was only one classification. This was even more remarkable as he was only 5'9" and 180 pounds.
Upon graduation from Bedford, Kenny attended East Stroudsburg State College where he helped the Warriors win the PSAC Championships in 1965 and 1968 as a nose guard/linebacker.
Kenny earned his Master Degree in Administration and coached football at Temple University from 1971-73. This began his 15-year coaching career.
In 1974 Ken was the offensive coordinator at Washington and Jefferson College.
Kenny moved to Villanova as the linebacker coach for 1975 and 1976. In 1977 and 1978 he was the offensive line coach and offensive coordinator at Villanova. While at Villanova, Kenny was instrumental in recruiting future All-Pro and NFL Hall of Fame player Howie Long to Villanova.
Baker coached the linebackers at Syracuse University from 1979-80 before moving to Florida to become the head coach at Osceola High School in Kissimmee, where he coached from 1981-85.
In 1982 Osceola High School was the state runner-up after winning the sectional, district, and regional championships. Kenny's high school coaching record was 39-19.
Overall, Ken has coached 18 players who have played in the NFL. Among those are Hall of Famers Howie Long and Art Monk as well as Joe Klecko, Randy Grossman, Joe Morris, Craig Wolfley, and Markus Paul, who was Baker’s 1982-83 high school quarterback, became an All-American safety at Syracuse, and earned five Super Bowl rings as a strength and conditioning coach with the Patriots and Giants.
Ken has coached with Tom Coughlin (currently with the New York Giants), George O’Leary (University of Central Florida), Randy Edsall (University of Maryland), Ivan Fears (New England Patriots) and Joe Marciano (recently with Houston Texans).
For the last 28 years Ken has worked at Ken Baker Real Estate, Inc. in Kissimmee, Florida. Ken and Ann, his wife of 43 years, have three children and one adopted child as well as two grandchildren. Ken still enjoys football, attending high school and Central Florida games.
Kenny was well known for his hard hitting in football, but he was also a very good hitter in baseball. His junior year he led the Bedford County League in batting with an average of .529 and helped lead Bedford to the Bedford County League Championship. His senior year his average dropped to .367 and Bedford finished second in the league.
Baker was a big hitter as a pulling guard in Bedford’s single wing offense and as a nose guard/linebacker on defense. Kenny also kicked 36 extra points and two field goals at Bedford. For his aggressive play, Baker was voted by the coaches to the Bedford County Football All-Star Team as both a junior and senior. He also was named to the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat’s 1st Team as a guard in 1964. His top honor was being named Second Team All-State as a senior in an era when there was only one classification. This was even more remarkable as he was only 5'9" and 180 pounds.
Upon graduation from Bedford, Kenny attended East Stroudsburg State College where he helped the Warriors win the PSAC Championships in 1965 and 1968 as a nose guard/linebacker.
Kenny earned his Master Degree in Administration and coached football at Temple University from 1971-73. This began his 15-year coaching career.
In 1974 Ken was the offensive coordinator at Washington and Jefferson College.
Kenny moved to Villanova as the linebacker coach for 1975 and 1976. In 1977 and 1978 he was the offensive line coach and offensive coordinator at Villanova. While at Villanova, Kenny was instrumental in recruiting future All-Pro and NFL Hall of Fame player Howie Long to Villanova.
Baker coached the linebackers at Syracuse University from 1979-80 before moving to Florida to become the head coach at Osceola High School in Kissimmee, where he coached from 1981-85.
In 1982 Osceola High School was the state runner-up after winning the sectional, district, and regional championships. Kenny's high school coaching record was 39-19.
Overall, Ken has coached 18 players who have played in the NFL. Among those are Hall of Famers Howie Long and Art Monk as well as Joe Klecko, Randy Grossman, Joe Morris, Craig Wolfley, and Markus Paul, who was Baker’s 1982-83 high school quarterback, became an All-American safety at Syracuse, and earned five Super Bowl rings as a strength and conditioning coach with the Patriots and Giants.
Ken has coached with Tom Coughlin (currently with the New York Giants), George O’Leary (University of Central Florida), Randy Edsall (University of Maryland), Ivan Fears (New England Patriots) and Joe Marciano (recently with Houston Texans).
For the last 28 years Ken has worked at Ken Baker Real Estate, Inc. in Kissimmee, Florida. Ken and Ann, his wife of 43 years, have three children and one adopted child as well as two grandchildren. Ken still enjoys football, attending high school and Central Florida games.
Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County, Pennsylvania