William F. Knox
Encyclopedia
William F. "Billy" Knox (January 29, 1885 – December 21, 1975) was an American football player and coach and lawyer. He played college football
for Yale University
and was selected as a first-team All-America
n halfback
in 1906. He was the head coach of the 1907 Yale football team which finished the season with a record of 9–0–1. He later became an attorney and was a founder and member of the Pittsburgh law firm of Moorhead & Knox.
in 1885. His father Alfred C. Knox was a Pennsylvania native and a banker. His mother Annie E. Knox was also a Pennsylvania native. At the time of the 1900 United States Census, Knox was living in Ben Avon
, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, with his parents and three sisters, Louise, Juliet, and Mary. His uncle was Philander C. Knox
, who served as the United States Attorney General (1901–1904), United States Senator (1904–1909, 1917–1921),and United States Secretary of State (1909–1913).
. While attending Yale, he played for the Yale Bulldogs football
team and was selected as a first-team All-American halfback in 1906.
After graduating from Yale, he returned in the fall of 1907 as Yale's head football coach. Knox led the 1907 Yale football team to an undefeated season with a record of 9–0–1. The team's only setback was a 0–0 tie against Army.
During the period from 1899 to 1912, Yale had 14 different head football coaches in 14 years – despite compiling a combined record of 127–11–10 in those years. During that 14-year span, the Yale football team has also been recognized as the national championship team by one or more of the major national championship selectors on seven occasions – 1900 (Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis), 1901 (Parke Davis), 1902 (Parke Davis), 1905 (Parke Davis, Whitney), 1906 (Billingsley, Parke Davis, Whitney), 1907 (Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis, Whitney), and 1909 (Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis).
Knox later attended the University of Pittsburgh
law school from which he graduated in 1910. At the time of the 1910 United States Census, Knox was living with his parents and three sisters at the family home on Brighton Road in Ben Avon.
, who later served as a U.S. Congressman from 1959 to 1981. Their firm, Moorhead and Knox, became a prestigious Pittsburgh law firm. Knox remained active in the firm until his retirement in 1973.
At the time of the 1920 United States Census, Knox was living with his wife, Ruth T. Knox, and son, William F. Knox, Jr., at 6923 Brighton Road in Ben Avon, Pennsylvania. The family also had a live-in maid, Mary Kramer.
At the time of the 1930 United States Census, Knox was living in Pittsburgh with his wife, Ruth, and their two sons, William F. Knox, Jr., and James Knox.
Knox's son, William F. Knox, enrolled at Yale in 1936. He died at age 19 when he fell almost 200 feet to his death while climbing a train trestle over Manhasset Bay
at daybreak.
In a draft registration card completed in 1942, Knox indicated that he was living at 8 Robin Road in Pittsburgh and that he was a member of the firm of Moorhead & Knox with offices in the Oliver Building in Pittsburgh.
Knox also served on the board of directors of National Union Fire Insurance Co. and the Duqesne Slag Co. Knox died at the Shadyside Hospital in Pittsburgh in December 1975 at age 90.
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...
for Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and was selected as a first-team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
in 1906. He was the head coach of the 1907 Yale football team which finished the season with a record of 9–0–1. He later became an attorney and was a founder and member of the Pittsburgh law firm of Moorhead & Knox.
Early years
Knox was born in Connellsville, PennsylvaniaConnellsville, Pennsylvania
Connellsville is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, USA, 57 miles southeast of Pittsburgh on the Youghiogheny River, a tributary of the Monongahela River. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. In 1890, 5,629 people lived in Connellsville, which was a borough at that time...
in 1885. His father Alfred C. Knox was a Pennsylvania native and a banker. His mother Annie E. Knox was also a Pennsylvania native. At the time of the 1900 United States Census, Knox was living in Ben Avon
Ben Avon, Pennsylvania
Ben Avon is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, along the Ohio River. The population was 1,781 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area.The name, Ben Avon, comes from Scottish for "hill of the waters".-Geography:...
, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, with his parents and three sisters, Louise, Juliet, and Mary. His uncle was Philander C. Knox
Philander C. Knox
Philander Chase Knox was an American lawyer and politician who served as United States Attorney General , a Senator from Pennsylvania and Secretary of State ....
, who served as the United States Attorney General (1901–1904), United States Senator (1904–1909, 1917–1921),and United States Secretary of State (1909–1913).
Yale and University of Pittsburgh
Knox enrolled at Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. While attending Yale, he played for the Yale Bulldogs football
Yale Bulldogs football
The Yale Bulldogs football program represents Yale University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision . Yale's football program is one of the oldest in the world, having begun competing in the sport in 1872...
team and was selected as a first-team All-American halfback in 1906.
After graduating from Yale, he returned in the fall of 1907 as Yale's head football coach. Knox led the 1907 Yale football team to an undefeated season with a record of 9–0–1. The team's only setback was a 0–0 tie against Army.
During the period from 1899 to 1912, Yale had 14 different head football coaches in 14 years – despite compiling a combined record of 127–11–10 in those years. During that 14-year span, the Yale football team has also been recognized as the national championship team by one or more of the major national championship selectors on seven occasions – 1900 (Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis), 1901 (Parke Davis), 1902 (Parke Davis), 1905 (Parke Davis, Whitney), 1906 (Billingsley, Parke Davis, Whitney), 1907 (Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis, Whitney), and 1909 (Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis).
Knox later attended the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
law school from which he graduated in 1910. At the time of the 1910 United States Census, Knox was living with his parents and three sisters at the family home on Brighton Road in Ben Avon.
Legal career and family
After graduating from law school, Knox had a long career as a lawyer in Pittsburgh. In 1917, he formed a law partnership with William S. MoorheadWilliam S. Moorhead
William Singer Moorhead was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Moorhead was born in Pittsburgh, PA, the son of prominent attorney William Singer Moorhead, Sr...
, who later served as a U.S. Congressman from 1959 to 1981. Their firm, Moorhead and Knox, became a prestigious Pittsburgh law firm. Knox remained active in the firm until his retirement in 1973.
At the time of the 1920 United States Census, Knox was living with his wife, Ruth T. Knox, and son, William F. Knox, Jr., at 6923 Brighton Road in Ben Avon, Pennsylvania. The family also had a live-in maid, Mary Kramer.
At the time of the 1930 United States Census, Knox was living in Pittsburgh with his wife, Ruth, and their two sons, William F. Knox, Jr., and James Knox.
Knox's son, William F. Knox, enrolled at Yale in 1936. He died at age 19 when he fell almost 200 feet to his death while climbing a train trestle over Manhasset Bay
Manhasset Bay
Manhasset Bay, New York, is an embayment in western Long Island off Long Island Sound. Manhasset Bay forms the northeastern boundary of the Great Neck Peninsula and the southwestern boundary of Cow Neck...
at daybreak.
In a draft registration card completed in 1942, Knox indicated that he was living at 8 Robin Road in Pittsburgh and that he was a member of the firm of Moorhead & Knox with offices in the Oliver Building in Pittsburgh.
Knox also served on the board of directors of National Union Fire Insurance Co. and the Duqesne Slag Co. Knox died at the Shadyside Hospital in Pittsburgh in December 1975 at age 90.