Frank Mount Pleasant facts for kids
Mount Pleasant pictured in Instano 1912, Indiana Normal yearbook
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|
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 13, 1884 Tuscarora Reservation |
| Died | April 12, 1937 (aged 52) Buffalo, New York |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1905–1907 | Carlisle |
| 1908–1909 | Dickinson |
| Position(s) | Quarterback, halfback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1910 | Franklin & Marshall |
| 1911–1913 | Indiana Normal |
| 1914 | West Virginia Wesleyan |
| 1915 | Buffalo |
| Basketball | |
| 1910–1911 | Franklin & Marshall |
| Baseball | |
| 1911 | Franklin & Marshall |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 35–15–3 (football) 4–4 (basketball) 5–7–1 (baseball) |
Franklin Pierce Mount Pleasant Jr. (born June 13, 1884 – died April 12, 1937) was an amazing Native American athlete and coach. He played American football, competed in track and field, and coached football, basketball, and baseball. He played college football for the Carlisle Indian Industrial School and Dickinson College. He was the first Native American to graduate from Dickinson in 1910. Frank also joined the US Olympic track teams in 1904 and 1908. At the 1908 Summer Olympics, he finished sixth in both the triple jump and long jump.
Mount Pleasant coached football at several colleges. These included Franklin & Marshall College (1910), Indiana Normal School (now Indiana University of Pennsylvania) from 1911 to 1913, West Virginia Wesleyan College (1914), and the University at Buffalo (1915). He also coached basketball and baseball at Franklin & Marshall. After serving in World War I, he lived in Buffalo, New York. Many believe he was the first to throw a spiral pass in football!
Contents
Early Life and Sports Achievements
Frank Mount Pleasant was born on the Tuscarora Reservation in New York. This reservation is part of the Iroquois Confederacy. His father was Tribal Chief John, also known as Frank Senior. When Frank was young, he attended Native American boarding schools. This was common at a time when the government wanted Native American children to adopt mainstream American culture.
He went to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania from 1902 to 1907. There, he was a star athlete. He competed in the long jump for the track team. He also played quarterback and halfback for the football team. In 1907, his Carlisle team, coached by Pop Warner, had a great season. They won 10 games and only lost one. They even beat the strong Harvard team 26–6.
Some of his teammates became very famous. These included Jim Thorpe, who is now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Another teammate was Albert Exendine, who is in the College Football Hall of Fame. Even though Frank was a second-team All-American, he never played professional football. The National Football League (NFL) did not start until 1920. He did play semi-pro football in Buffalo. Many say that Frank Mount Pleasant, under Coach Pop Warner, was the first to throw the spiral pass in football.
While in college, Frank tried out for the Olympics. He became the first Carlisle student to qualify for the US Olympic track team. He competed in the 1908 Olympics held in London. Frank finished sixth in both the triple jump and the long jump events. This was the end of his track and field career. His best long jump was about 7.07 meters (23 feet, 2.25 inches). His best triple jump was about 13.92 meters (45 feet, 10 inches).
Coaching Career Highlights
After the Olympics, Frank Mount Pleasant finished his studies at Dickinson College. He was the first Native American to graduate from that college. He then became a football coach.
- In 1910, he was the head football coach at Franklin & Marshall College. His team won 4 games, lost 3, and tied 2.
- From 1911 to 1913, he coached football at the Indiana Normal School. This school is now known as Indiana University of Pennsylvania. His teams in 1912 and 1913 won state championships!
- In 1914, he coached at West Virginia Wesleyan College.
- In 1915, he moved to the University of Buffalo to coach their football team.
Frank's coaching career was interrupted by World War I. He joined the military and served as an officer, a first lieutenant.
Later Life and Legacy
After World War I, Frank Mount Pleasant settled in Buffalo, New York. This was close to his home on the Tuscarora reservation. He played semi-pro football for a few years with the Buffalo All-Stars. His team included many former college stars, like Tall Chief, who was his teammate at Carlisle. Frank worked different jobs for the rest of his life. He also enjoyed playing the piano.
Frank Mount Pleasant passed away in 1937. He was found unconscious on a Buffalo sidewalk and died three days later. The medical examiner said his death was the result of an accidental fall.
Frank Mount Pleasant has received many honors for his achievements:
- He was inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame in 1973.
- He joined the Hall of Fame at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1998.
- He was also honored by Dickinson College.
- In 2007, Chapman University in Southern California named a library after him.
Images for kids
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Mount Pleasant pictured in Instano 1912, Indiana Normal yearbook
