Knowlton Ames

Knowlton Lyman "Snake" Ames (May 27, 1868 – December 23, 1931) was an American football player and coach. He played for Princeton University from 1886 to 1889, and the Chicago Athletic Association, in 1892. Playing for the Princeton Tigers, Ames was selected to the 1889 College Football All-America Team as a fullback. In 1891 and 1892, he was the head football coach at Purdue University. He is also credited as the first head football coach at Northwestern University.

Knowlton Ames
Portrait of Ames from Walter Camp's 1894 book, American Football
Biographical details
Born(1868-05-23)May 23, 1868
Chicago, Illinois
DiedDecember 23, 1931(1931-12-23) (aged 63)
Chicago, Illinois
Playing career
1886–1889Princeton Tigers
1892Chicago Athletic Association
Position(s)Fullback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1891–1892Northwestern
1891–1892Purdue
Head coaching record
Overall19–5–5
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 Indiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1891–1892)
Awards
All-American (1889)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1969 (profile)

Biography

College career

At Princeton, Ames scored 730 points for the Tigers from 1886 to 1889, including 62 touchdowns. The achievement of scoring 730 points is an unofficial college football career record, although only records set since the NCAA began keeping records in 1937 are considered official. He was named to the first-ever All-America team in 1889.

Coaching career

After graduation, Ames became the head coach for Purdue University, where he led the Boilermakers to a 12–0 record over two years.[1]

Ames was hired as the first ever coach of the Northwestern Wildcats in 1891, and coached three[2] games before taking leave to become the coach at Purdue.[3] Northwestern officially credits Ames as the head coach for the 1891 and 1892 seasons, with a total record of 7-5-5.[4]

Chicago Athletic Association

Ames returned to playing football with the Chicago Athletic Association in 1892. During an October 22 game in Cleveland, Ames and fellow player Pudge Heffelfinger were observed by the manager of the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. A week later the Pittsburgh Press printed a rumor that the Pittsburgh Athletic Club was offering Heffelfinger and Ames $250 to play for the team on Saturday, November 12, against their rivals, the Allegheny Athletic Association. Meanwhile, another version of the story had Ames being offered only $100. However, the rumor either turned out to be false or Heffelfinger and Ames turned down Pittsburgh's offer.

During an 1892 Chicago game against the New York Cresants, the Cresants refused to take field unless Chicago's Sport Donnelly was barred from the Chicago lineup because of some alleged rough tactics he used while playing for the Manhattan Athletic Club, in 1891. Chicago benched Donnelly, and his absence resulted in a tied game. Donnelly then became enraged and refused to rejoin the team in Chicago. Heffelfinger and Ames joined Donnelly in the walkout. Afterward Donnelly and Heffelfinger signed an agreement with the Allegheny Athletic Association, becoming the first known professional football players. Meanwhile, Ames had decided to forgo the game rather than risk his amateur status. He returned to coaching at Princeton.[5]

Late life and death

After retiring from football, Ames had a career in finance and publishing. He founded the Chicago Journal of Commerce and served as its publisher until shortly before his death.[6] Ames also served as chairman of the board of the Booth Fisheries Company and had other business interests as well.[6]

In 1931, Ames committed suicide, shooting himself with a .38 caliber revolver as he sat is his car. Ames was age 63 at the time of his death and had recently suffered business losses.[6][7]

Personal life

Ames's father, Miner Thomas Ames, was a Chicago coal magnate. Ames's son, Knowlton Lyman Ames Jr., also played for Princeton.

Head coaching record
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Northwestern Purple (Independent) (1891)
1891 Northwestern 2–2–3
Northwestern Purple (Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the Northwest) (1892)
1892 Northwestern 5–3–21–34th
Northwestern: 7–5–51–3
Purdue Boilermakers (Indiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1891–1892)
1891 Purdue 4–04–01st
1892 Purdue 8–04–01st
Purdue: 12–08–0
Total:19–5–5
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
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References
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20190702151235/http://hailtopurple.com/cde/history.pdf
  3. https://books.google.com/books?id=z-zuPpvEMFAC&pg=PA12&lpg=PA12&dq=paul+noyes+northwestern&source=bl&ots=Y5N6vK9fEi&sig=ACfU3U0Rt4WsTII1y5JJZFITlDCvx0VXUQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjJxLKb7KnnAhXYmHIEHYVbAXcQ6AEwA3oECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=paul%20noyes%20northwestern&f=false
  4. https://nusports.com/documents/2019/8/19//19_Northwestern_FB_Media_Guide.pdf?id=22653
  5. Bob Carroll, Beau Riffenburgh (1989). "Birth of Pro Football" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association (Annual): 1–3. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 27, 2010.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  6. "'Snake' Ames, Finance, Grid Star, Suicides". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. United Press. December 24, 1931. p. 16. Retrieved March 11, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .
  7. "Knowlton Ames, Financier, Kills Self in Chicago". The Daily Times. Davenport, Iowa. Associated Press. December 24, 1931. p. 1. Retrieved March 11, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .
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