There he was presented with a $1,000 scholarship and McKenney, who grew up close to Harvard Stadium and was a former Crimson mascot, accepted without telling his parents.

[3] An injury suffered during his high school football career prevented him from pitching for the Boston College Eagles baseball team, however in 1927 he returned to the diamond as an outfielder.

He supplemented his income by serving as a professor of modern history at BC and taking outside jobs, including as a salesman for the Boston Coal Company.

[5] However, after the sudden death of James Crowley the following month, McKenney resigned from the commission and ended his coaching career to become the associate director of physical education of Boston Public Schools.

[8] He was a key figure in the administration of superintendent William H. Ohrenberger, a former teammate of McKenney's and his former associate director of physical education.

In 1942 he arranged for Boston College to acquire a reservoir near the campus from the MDC once it was declared inactive in exchange for his support on a similar agreement for Tufts University.

[13] McKenney was the vice president and general manager of the Boston Beacons of the North American Soccer League.

He was a season ticket holder for BC football until his death on May 17, 1995, at Maristhill Nursing Home in Waltham, Massachusetts.