Clinton Wayne “Clint” Keown (February 25, 1980 – September 22, 2024) was an American basketball and baseball player and one of the most accomplished multi-sport athletes from Evansville, Indiana.

Reitz Memorial High School

Keown attended Reitz Memorial High School, where he excelled in basketball, baseball and football.

On the basketball court, Keown scored 1,766 career points and was selected as an Indiana All-Star in 1998. He also earned All-State honors and became one of the leading scorers in Evansville high school basketball history. Memorial later retired his No. 33 jersey.

Keown was also an outstanding baseball player and an All-State wide receiver in football. He was later inducted into the Reitz Memorial High School Hall of Fame.

College Career

Keown began his college basketball career at the University of Evansville, playing two seasons for the Purple Aces. As a sophomore, he averaged 9.5 points per game and finished second on the team in assists.

He later transferred to the University of South Carolina Aiken, where he competed in both basketball and baseball. Keown became a standout for the Pacers and earned Second-Team All-American honors in basketball.

In baseball, he hit .367 during the 2002 season and had previously established himself as a dangerous hitter and base stealer.

Professional Baseball

Following college, Keown played professional baseball in the Cincinnati Reds organization during the 2003 season, including time with the Dayton Dragons.

Poker Career

In addition to his success in traditional sports, Keown was an accomplished poker player and a well-known member of the Evansville-area poker community.

Keown recorded $171,271 in career live tournament earnings. One of his biggest results came in 2005 when he finished ninth in the World Series of Poker Circuit $10,000 Championship Event at Horseshoe Southern Indiana, earning $36,480.

He also competed in major poker events around the country, including the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour. In 2017, Keown finished 46th in the WPT L.A. Poker Classic for $20,300.

Poker became another example of Keown’s unusual competitive versatility. In addition to basketball, baseball, football and golf, he developed into a successful tournament poker player and remained active in the game for many years.

Later Life and Evansville Legacy

Keown remained closely connected to Evansville after his athletic career. He was involved in youth sports, coached young athletes and served on the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Club.

Keown died on September 22, 2024, at age 44 following an automobile accident in Crawford County, Illinois.

His accomplishments in basketball, baseball and football, from Reitz Memorial through the college and professional levels, made Keown one of the most notable all-around athletes in Evansville sports history.