D. M. Balliet Explained

D. M. Balliet
Birth Date:25 August 1866
Birth Place:Lehighton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Death Place:Myerstown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Player Team1:Lehigh
Player Years2:1892–1893
Player Team2:Princeton
Player Positions:Center
Coach Years1:1893
Coach Team1:Auburn
Coach Years2:1893–1895
Coach Team2:Purdue
Coach Years3:1901
Coach Team3:Purdue
Coach Years4:1902
Coach Team4:Princeton (assistant)
Coach Years5:1902
Coach Team5:Washington and Lee (assistant)
Coach Years6:1903–1904
Coach Team6:Washington and Lee
Overall Record:30–15–2
Championships:2 Indiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1893–1894)

David Milton "Pete" Balliet (August 25, 1866 – August 6, 1960) was an American college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Auburn University for one game in February 1893, at Purdue University from 1893 to 1895 and again in 1901, and at Washington and Lee University from 1903 to 1904, compiling a career head coaching record of 30–15–2. Balliet played as a center at Lehigh University and Princeton University.

Early years and playing career

Balliet was a native of Lehighton, Pennsylvania, and was born on August 25, 1866.[1] He attended preparatory school at the Meyerstown Academy and then played center for two seasons for the Lehigh University football team.[2]

Princeton

In the fall of 1892, Balliet joined the Princeton Tigers football team. In September 1892, The New York Times reported: "Among the promising new men who are practicing are Balliet, centre rush of last year's Lehigh team."[3] He played at center for Princeton during the 1892 and 1893 seasons.[4] [5] [6]

The 1893 Princeton team finished the season undefeated at 11–0, and was later recognized as a national champion.[7] Balliet graduated from Princeton with the class of 1894.[8]

Coaching career

Balliet was the second head coach in the history of Auburn Tigers football. He coached only a single game for the program, a contest against Alabama played on February 22, 1893, at Lakeview Park in Birmingham, Alabama, the first intercollegiate game in the state. Auburn defeated Alabama in the game, the first meeting between the two schools, by a score of 32 to 22.[9] [10]

In the fall of 1893, Balliet became the head football coach at Purdue University. He led the team to a 5–2–1 record in 1893 and 9–1 in 1894. During the 1894 season, Balliet's Purdue squad defeated Amos Alonzo Stagg's Chicago Maroons and outscored opponents by a collective score of 177 to 42.[11] [12] His 1895 squad finished with a record of 4–3.[13] In 1897, Balliet was reported to have given up a successful law practice to join the Klondike Gold Rush in Alaska.[14]

Balliet was re-hired as the head coach at Purdue in September 1901.[15] He led the 1901 Purdue team to a 4–4–1 record, but finished the season with consecutive losses to Notre Dame, Illinois, and Northwestern.[16] At the end of the 1901 season, Purdue opted not to renew his services. In March 1902, the Indianapolis News reported, "He is known to be a good coach, but he turned out a loser last year and Purdue wants a change."[17] In four seasons as Purdue's head coach, Balliet compiled a record of 22–10–2.[18]

Balliet began the fall of 1902 back at his alma mater, Princeton, as an assistant coach. In early October, he joined the football team at Washington and Lee University to assist physical director, Bill Wertenbaker.[19] [20] Balliet served as the head football coach at Washington and Lee for the 1903 and 1904 seasons.[21] [22]

Family and later years

Balliet married Sara A. Uhrich on July 19, 1894. The couple had a daughter, Catharine Urich, born on July 5, 1895.[8] He moved to Myerstown, Pennsylvania, in approximately 1895 and lived there for the next 65 years. Balliet worked for most of his career as a coal salesman. In 1909, Balliet was employed by the Clark Brothers Coal Mining Company in Philadelphia. He described himself at the time as "a globe-trotter for a wholesale coal company."[8]

Death

He died at his home in Myerstown on August 6, 1960, at age 93.[23]

See also

Notes and References

  1. "Funeral Notices", Lebanon Daily News, August 8, 1960, Lebanon, Pennsylvania, "In Lebanon on August 6, 1960 David M. Balliet aged 93 years 11 months and 12 days."
  2. News: Henderson . Jeremy . December 8, 2010 . Ballin' like Balliet: the legendary prank-play of Auburn's most mysterious and winning-est percentage-est coach . The War Eagle Reader . November 1, 2011.
  3. News: September 21, 1892 . Training at Princeton . The New York Times .
  4. News: October 6, 1892 . Big Tigers Won . The New York Times .
  5. News: November 28, 1893 . Statistics Of The Yale And Princeton Football Teams . . October 29, 2011.
  6. News: November 22, 1893 . Balliet Leaves Princeton: A Little Trouble with Capt. Trenchard Causes Him to Leave the Field . The New York Times .
  7. Web site: Princeton Yearly Results, 1890-1894 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121104150946/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_iaa/ivyleague/princeton/yearly_results.php?year=1890 . November 4, 2012 . November 1, 2011 . College Football Data Warehouse.
  8. Book: Wilkins, John F. . Quindecennial Record of the Class of Eighteen Hundred and Ninety Four Princeton University . . 1909 . . 12 . November 1, 2011.
  9. Web site: 2011 Auburn Football Fact Book . November 1, 2011 . . 145 . March 4, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110617/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/aub/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/2011-supplement.pdf . dead .
  10. Web site: Auburn Yearly Results, 1891-1894 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111023110228/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/sec/auburn/yearly_results.php?year=1891 . October 23, 2011 . November 1, 2011 . College Football Data Warehouse.
  11. News: November 4, 1894 . Stagg's Men Beaten: Purdue Lays 'Varsity Low In A Game Of Sharp Interest . Chicago Daily Tribune . https://archive.today/20130131182328/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/431613062.html?dids=431613062:431613062&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+04,+1894&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=STAGG'S+MEN+BEATEN.&pqatl=google . dead . January 31, 2013 . November 1, 2011 .
  12. Web site: 1894 Purdue . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121023112202/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_game_by_game.php?coachid=89&year=1894 . October 23, 2012 . November 1, 2011 . College Football Data Warehouse.
  13. Web site: Purdue Yearly Results . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120419070038/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/bigten/purdue/yearly_results.php?year=1895 . April 19, 2012 . November 1, 2011 . College Football Data Warehouse.
  14. News: July 31, 1897 . In the Push . The Weekly Argus News . November 1, 2011.
  15. News: September 9, 1901 . Short Sporting Notes . Daily True American . November 1, 2011.
  16. Web site: 1901 Purdue . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121023112237/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_game_by_game.php?coachid=89&year=1901 . October 23, 2012 . November 1, 2011 . College Football Data Warehouse.
  17. News: March 18, 1902 . College Notes . The Daily News-Review . November 1, 2011.
  18. Web site: All-Time Coaching Records: D.M. Balliet Records by Year . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110823045839/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_year_by_year.php?coachid=89 . August 23, 2011 . November 1, 2011 . College Football Data Warehouse.
  19. News: September 30, 1902 . Washington and Lee's New Football Coach; Balliott, Princeton's Famous Center, Will Coach the Virginia Boys . . November 7, 2011.
  20. Book: The Calyx 1903 . 1903 . 153 . November 7, 2011.
  21. Book: The Calyx 1904 . 1904 . 138 . November 7, 2011.
  22. Book: The Calyx 1905 . 1905 . 135 . November 7, 2011.
  23. News: August 6, 1960 . David Balliet, 94, Of Myerstown RD 2 Dies . Lebanon Daily News (Lebanon, Pennsylvania).