D.M. Balliet
Encyclopedia
David Milton "Pete" Balliet (c. 1866 – August 6, 1960) was an American 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 college football
record of 30–15–2. Balliet played as a center
at Lehigh University
and Princeton University
.
and was born circa 1866. He attended preparatory school at the Meyerstown Academy and then played center
for two seasons for the Lehigh University
football team.
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." He played at center for Princeton during the 1892 and 1893 seasons. The 1893 Princeton team finished the season undefeated at 11–0, and was later recognized as a national champion. Balliet graduated from Princeton with the class of 1894.
. He coached only a single game for the program, a contest against Alabama
played on February 22, 1893 at Lakeview Park in Birmingham, Alabama
. Auburn defeated Alabama in the game, the first meeting between the two schools, by a score of 32 to 22.
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. His 1895 squad finished with a record of 4–3. In 1897, Balliet was reported to have given up a successful law practice to join the Klondike Gold Rush
in Alaska.
Balliet was re-hired as the head coach at Purdue in September 1901. 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
. 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." In four seasons as Purdue's head coach, Balliet compiled a record of 22–10–2.
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
. Balliet served as the head football coach at Washington and Lee for the 1903 and 1904 seasons.
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." He died at his home in Myerstown on August 6, 1960 at age 94.
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 served as the head football coach at Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
for one game in February 1893, at Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
from 1893 to 1895 and again in 1901, and at Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
from 1903 to 1904, compiling a career 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...
record of 30–15–2. Balliet played as a center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
at Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
and 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....
.
Early years and playing career
Balliet was a native of Lehighton, PennsylvaniaLehighton, Pennsylvania
Lehighton is a borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, north by west of Philadelphia. In the past, it developed early industries because of water power from the Lehigh River. With the location of a repair facility here and its regional operations, the Lehigh Valley Railroad became for years a...
and was born circa 1866. He attended preparatory school at the Meyerstown Academy and then played center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
for two seasons for the Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
football team.
Princeton
In the fall of 1892, Balliet joined the Princeton Tigers footballPrinceton Tigers football
The Princeton Tigers football program represents Princeton University college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
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." He played at center for Princeton during the 1892 and 1893 seasons. The 1893 Princeton team finished the season undefeated at 11–0, and was later recognized as a national champion. Balliet graduated from Princeton with the class of 1894.
Coaching career
Balliet was the second head coach in the history of Auburn Tigers footballAuburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
. He coached only a single game for the program, a contest against Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
played on February 22, 1893 at Lakeview Park in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. Auburn defeated Alabama in the game, the first meeting between the two schools, by a score of 32 to 22.
In the fall of 1893, Balliet became the head football coach at Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
. 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
Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg was an American athlete and pioneering college coach in multiple sports, primarily American football...
's Chicago Maroons
Chicago Maroons football
The Chicago Maroons are the college football team representing the University of Chicago. The Maroons play in NCAA Division III as a member of the University Athletic Association. From 1892 to 1939, the Maroons were a major college football power...
and outscored opponents by a collective score of 177 to 42. His 1895 squad finished with a record of 4–3. In 1897, Balliet was reported to have given up a successful law practice to join the Klondike Gold Rush
Klondike Gold Rush
The Klondike Gold Rush, also called the Yukon Gold Rush, the Alaska Gold Rush and the Last Great Gold Rush, was an attempt by an estimated 100,000 people to travel to the Klondike region the Yukon in north-western Canada between 1897 and 1899 in the hope of successfully prospecting for gold...
in Alaska.
Balliet was re-hired as the head coach at Purdue in September 1901. He led the 1901 Purdue team to a 4–4–1 record, but finished the season with consecutive losses to Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
, Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini football
The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51...
, and Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
. 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." In four seasons as Purdue's head coach, Balliet compiled a record of 22–10–2.
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
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
to assist physical director, Bill Wertenbaker
Bill Wertenbaker
-External links:...
. Balliet served as the head football coach at Washington and Lee for the 1903 and 1904 seasons.
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. He moved to Myerstown, PennsylvaniaMyerstown, Pennsylvania
Myerstown is a borough located in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Lebanon, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the borough had a total population of 3,171...
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." He died at his home in Myerstown on August 6, 1960 at age 94.