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No monuments or streets will be named after the man, but there should be. When the news went out that he had passed away on Nov. 26, tears were shed by grown-ups who had the privilege of being taught the games of football, basketball, baseball and hockey by the man they affectionately called “Coach Al.”
To the world, he was known as Al Kinnitt Jr., a man from the state of Georgia, where he excelled as a three-sport athlete in high school to make a name for himself in Boston. To those who really knew him, he was just Al.
Those who played with or against his teams knew he personified the word coach. The testimonials about Kinnitt could fill volumes. He was a coach before he came to Boston and became a coaching legend when he closed his eyes for the last time.
“The man coached me and thousands of city youth like me in the rules and strategies of the games,” said Bruce Holloway, former superintendent of the bureau of investigative services for the Boston Police Department.
“In my 34 years in the Boston Police Department, not a day went by that I didn’t use lessons taught to me by Coach Al, he said. “Being raised by my grandmother, Al became the first impactful male role model in my life and the lives of so many like me. He organized our baseball team, the Esquires, and scheduled games for us in football, basketball and hockey — yes hockey.
Holloway continued, “He brought in college players to teach Black youth how to skate and for me to become a goaltender. His influence led me to a relationship with people like Willie O’Ree, the first Black man to play in the NHL for the 1958 Boston Bruins, and to a partnership with the National Hockey League that has provided opportunities for Boston youth from different racial backgrounds. And he did all of this with quiet humility, never seeking or wanting the spotlight.”
In Blake Gumprecht’s book, “North to Boston,” Al is mentioned in Chapter 10. The book talks about Blacks migrating from the South to the Hub and making better lives for themselves. Al is a perfect model for what that book reflects.
I am just one of thousands whose lives he touched in special ways. People like Kenny Still, Avery Esdaile, and Wallace Johnson of the Boston Public Schools Athletics Department employed the man for over 40 years and spoke glowingly about his character.
Former BPS Athletics Director Kenny Still said, “Al Kinnitt was a quiet giant who did his job with distinction.”
“Al was much more than an employee to BPS; he is a legacy, said current BPS Athletics Director Avery Esdaile. “Over the many years and athletic events held by BPS, Al was a vital part of the operations. He has been missed since the day he retired.”
“We lost a special person in this community when Al Kinnitt passed away. To some, he was Uncle Al, to some, he was Coach Al, but to everyone who crossed his path, he was that special person who had a major impact on your life,” said Dennis Wilson, a 37-year head coach of basketball at Madison Park High School, adding, “He worked closely with my late brother Harry to build a Super Bowl-winning team at Cathedral High School. He coached, officiated, guided and mentored me, along with countless others, to become what we are today. His going home ceremony should draw a very large audience.”
Charles “Chiz” Deloatch, an executive with the acclaimed singing group Bell Biv DeVoe, said, “Al was my first coach and a man that I truly respected and admired. Everyone from my generation, and those that came before, knew and loved the man. All our hearts are heavy with the news of his passing.”
Deloatch added, “Looking back over the decades, I have fond memories of our time together. Whether winning championships as teammates in basketball or coaching young athletes in multiple sports, we shared a special bond — the love of sports, teaching the rules and strategies, and teaching the right way to play the games we love. Al Kinnitt, I will miss you in many ways.”
His sports knowledge was surpassed only by his unique ability to coach young people. He knew how to get the message across to the people, young and old, that he coached, a true sign of a great teacher, which is the ultimate goal of every great mentor.
On top of all this remarkable man’s accomplishments, he was most proud of his love for God and his service as a deacon at Charles Street A.M.E. Church.
“Quite an achievement for a young Black man of my size 6 ‘2” and 200 plus pounds back in the day,” said Jubilee Baptist Church Pastor Chris Sumner, who has a lasting memory of the man who taught him how to play hockey.”
“More importantly,” said Sumner, “his lessons on life helped steer me to my journey to God.”
So long, Al Kinnitt. You will be missed by thousands.
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