Bulldog Athletic Hall of Fame
Donald “Casey” Keltz, a native of Belgrade, Mont., was a 1957 graduate of Western Montana College (WMC) with a Bachelor of Science in secondary education. He began his collegiate career at Montana State College (now Montana State University) and was the first freshman to start at quarterback for the Bobcats.
After one year at Montana State, he enlisted and served two-year enlistment in the United States Coast Guard. Stationed in Boston, Mass., Keltz continued to shine athletically as he was named MVP of the service league he played in. Sadly, his time in the service ended with a back injury from a ship-board accident.
When Keltz returned to Montana, he enrolled at Western. He played under Hall of Fame coach Bill Straugh. Keltz was a three-time all-conference selection and played on two conference championship teams. After his senior season, he was the recipient of the Outstanding Player award presented by Davis Motors.
Also during his WMC days, he showed his entrepreneurial side. Along with teammate Dick Pittman, he started a snack bar for Western students and staff.
After graduation, Keltz began his teaching and coaching career at Townsend, Mont. That first season at Townsend was a preview of what Keltz’s coaching career would be. Townsend won the Class C State championship and in the midst of that championship season, the Townsend Bulldogs began a. 28-game winning streak.
Through the course of Keltz’s career at Townsend, his track and basketball teams won numerous district and divisional championships and one state track title.
In 1965, his alma mater invited him back, but not to coach basketball or track but to coach football. Two years later, the Bulldogs won the Frontier Conference football championship.
In 1968, Keltz traded football for basketball replacing his mentor Straugh as head Bulldog basketball coach. In that first season, the Bulldogs won the conference and district titles and advance to the NAIA national tournament.
When his career was over, Keltz had recorded over 400 basketball wins along with numerous conference championships and trips to the NAIA national tournament. At the 1989 NAIA tourney, the Keltz coached Bulldogs upset the tourney’s top seed, Grand Canyon (Ariz.)
Along the way, he added head track coach to his Bulldog resume. His track teams won conference and district titles and sent many Bulldog student-athletes to the national NAIA meet.
He had been inducted into the Western Montana College Athletic Hall of Fame, the Montana Coaches Hall of Fame and the NAIA Hall of Fame. In 2000, the all-purpose arena in the physical education complex was named and dedicated as the Keltz Arena.
In 2012, he was the recipient of the Swede Kenison award, the highest award of the Frontier Conference. February 23, 1996, was designated Casey Keltz Appreciation Day by the Associated Students of Western Montana College.
Keltz has the rare distinction of being named Coach of the Year in three different sports; basketball, football, and track and field.
His entrepreneurial side also continued to shine throughout his coaching career. He introduced pizza to Dillon in the early 1970’s in the shape of the popular Pizza Parlor. Also in the 1970’s, he and two partners purchased the Lion’s Den Supper Club. The Den, as it is now known, continues to be a popular dining and gathering establishment.
He passed away, March 4, 2012.
