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James Knight (coach)
Encyclopedia
James Carnahan Knight was an American football
player and coach. He played college football
at Princeton University
in 1895 and at the University of Michigan
in 1901. He was the head football coach at the University of Washington
from 1902 to 1904 and compiled a 15–4–1 record.
in November 1875. His father, Henry B. Knight, was an Ohio native and Presbyterian minister. His mother, Jane, was born in Pennsylvania. At the time of the 1880 United States Census, Knight was living with his parents and two older brothers (Louis and Harry) in Ottumwa. At the time of the 1885 Iowa State Census, Knight was living in Fairfield, Iowa
where his father was employed as a professor at Parsons College
.
, the liberal arts college where his father was a professor. He enrolled at Princeton University
in approximately 1893. As a senior in 1895, Knight played college football
as an end for the Princeton Tigers football
team. While attending Princeton, Knight listed Chicago as his home city and was the vice president of Princeton's Chicago Club. He also lettered in gymnastics and rowing. He graduated from Princeton as part of the Class of 1896.
, a leading publisher of textbooks. He became affiliated with the Chicago Athletic Club while living in that city. Knight was a member of the Detroit Rowing Club from 1898 to 1900. At the time of the 1900 United States Census, he was living in Detroit and was employed as an agent for a life insurance company. In 1901, Knight was a representative of the New York Life Insurance Company
, at the Majestic Building in Detroit, Michigan
. In 1902, he was employed as a civil engineer for the Colorado Fuel & Iron Co.
, receiving his law degree in 1902. While studying at Michigan, he played for the Michigan's 1901 "Point-a-Minute" football team
that finished the season 11–0, outscored opponents 550 to 0, and won the first college football bowl game, the 1902 Rose Bowl
. Knight started at right end in four games for the 1901 Michigan team, including the first two games of the season. He also played as a substitute in the Indiana and Carlisle games. He was also the manager and catcher for the University of Michigan law school class baseball team in 1902.
. He was employed from 1902 to 1905 as a civil engineer for the Seattle Electric Co. While in Seattle, he also served as the head athletic instructor and football coach at the University of Washington
from 1902 to 1904, compiling a record of 15–4–1. He also served as the rowing
and track
coach at Washington. In 1905, he worked for the Boston Copper Co., of Seattle.
. At the time of the 1910 United States Census, Knight was living in South Caldwell, Idaho, where his occupation was listed as a farmer.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1895 and at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1901. He was the head football coach at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
from 1902 to 1904 and compiled a 15–4–1 record.
Early years
Knight was born in Ottumwa, IowaOttumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa is a city in and the county seat of Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 24,998 at the 2000 census. It is located in the southeastern part of Iowa, and the city is split into northern and southern halves by the Des Moines River....
in November 1875. His father, Henry B. Knight, was an Ohio native and Presbyterian minister. His mother, Jane, was born in Pennsylvania. At the time of the 1880 United States Census, Knight was living with his parents and two older brothers (Louis and Harry) in Ottumwa. At the time of the 1885 Iowa State Census, Knight was living in Fairfield, Iowa
Fairfield, Iowa
Fairfield is a city and the county seat of Jefferson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,464 in the 2010 census, a decline from 9,509 in the 2000 census. - History :...
where his father was employed as a professor at Parsons College
Parsons College
Parsons College was a private liberal arts college in Fairfield, Iowa. The school, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, was founded in 1875 and closed in 1973....
.
Parsons College and Princeton
Knight began his college education at Parsons CollegeParsons College
Parsons College was a private liberal arts college in Fairfield, Iowa. The school, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, was founded in 1875 and closed in 1973....
, the liberal arts college where his father was a professor. He enrolled at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in approximately 1893. As a senior in 1895, Knight played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as an end for the Princeton Tigers football
Princeton Tigers football
The Princeton Tigers football program represents Princeton University college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
team. While attending Princeton, Knight listed Chicago as his home city and was the vice president of Princeton's Chicago Club. He also lettered in gymnastics and rowing. He graduated from Princeton as part of the Class of 1896.
Early professional career
In approximately 1898, Knight accepted a job in Chicago as the Michigan agent for Ginn & Co.Edwin Ginn
Edwin Ginn , American publisher and philanthropist.In 1838, Ginn was born to a poor family who lived on a small farm near Orland, Maine. At age twenty-four he graduated from Tufts University. After graduation, Ginn had a career selling schoolbooks that became extremely lucrative...
, a leading publisher of textbooks. He became affiliated with the Chicago Athletic Club while living in that city. Knight was a member of the Detroit Rowing Club from 1898 to 1900. At the time of the 1900 United States Census, he was living in Detroit and was employed as an agent for a life insurance company. In 1901, Knight was a representative of the New York Life Insurance Company
New York Life Insurance Company
The New York Life Insurance Company is one of the largest mutual life-insurance companies in the United States, and one of the largest life insurers in the world, with about $287 billion in total assets under management, and more than $15 billion in surplus and AVR...
, at the Majestic Building in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. In 1902, he was employed as a civil engineer for the Colorado Fuel & Iron Co.
Colorado Fuel and Iron
The Colorado Fuel and Iron Company was a large steel concern. By 1903, it was largely owned and controlled by John D. Rockefeller and Jay Gould's financial heirs. While it came to control many plants throughout the country, its main plant was a steel mill on the south side of Pueblo, Colorado...
University of Michigan
In 1901, Knight enrolled in law school at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, receiving his law degree in 1902. While studying at Michigan, he played for the Michigan's 1901 "Point-a-Minute" football team
1901 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1901 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1901 college football season. In their first year under new head coach Fielding H. Yost, Michigan finished the season undefeated with an 11–0 record, outscored their opponents by the unprecedented total of 550...
that finished the season 11–0, outscored opponents 550 to 0, and won the first college football bowl game, the 1902 Rose Bowl
1902 Rose Bowl
Originally titled the "Tournament East-West football game," what is now known as the Rose Bowl Game was first played on January 1, 1902 in Pasadena, California, starting the tradition of New Year's Day bowl games.The inaugural game featured Fielding H...
. Knight started at right end in four games for the 1901 Michigan team, including the first two games of the season. He also played as a substitute in the Indiana and Carlisle games. He was also the manager and catcher for the University of Michigan law school class baseball team in 1902.
University of Washington
In 1902, Knight moved to Seattle, WashingtonSeattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. He was employed from 1902 to 1905 as a civil engineer for the Seattle Electric Co. While in Seattle, he also served as the head athletic instructor and football coach at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
from 1902 to 1904, compiling a record of 15–4–1. He also served as the rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
and track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
coach at Washington. In 1905, he worked for the Boston Copper Co., of Seattle.
Later years
Knight attended the Princeton Theological Seminary from 1905 to 1906 and subsequently moved to Caldwell, IdahoCaldwell, Idaho
Caldwell is a city in and the county seat of Canyon County, Idaho, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population to be 43,281, as of July 2009.Caldwell is the home of the College of Idaho. It is considered part of the Boise metropolitan area....
. At the time of the 1910 United States Census, Knight was living in South Caldwell, Idaho, where his occupation was listed as a farmer.