Northrup R. Knox
Encyclopedia
Northrup Rand Knox was a Buffalo banker, sportsman, and community leader who, along with his brother Seymour, brought the National Hockey League
franchise the Buffalo Sabres
to Buffalo, New York. Knox is the third generation of the Knox family to serve as chairman of Marine Midland Bank
and its predecessors. His father Seymour H. Knox II
and grandfather Seymour H. Knox I
also served as chairmen. He was also a past chairman of the Buffalo Sabres. He was chairman and governor of the United States Polo Association
.
and attended the Aiken Preparatory School
in Aiken, South Carolina
and St. Paul's School
in Concord, New Hampshire
. He was a 1950 graduate of Yale University
. At Yale, Norty starred in squash and won two Y's as a hockey goaltender. He was also a member of the Scroll and Key
society.
The only amateur in the postwar era to reach an eight-goal rating, he captained the US team in the challenge for the Cup of the Americas in 1966 and 1969 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, distinguishing himself as one of America's finest offensive players. With his legendary group of mares, known as the "4 Rs" (Ragamuffin, Rotallen, Ravanelle and Roulette), Norty was generally recognized as the best mounted player in the US at that time. After playing those ponies in the 1969 Cup of the Americas he was also considered the best mounted player in Argentina
as well. He was inducted into the Polo Hall of Fame in 1994.
A protégé of the Basque
master Pierre Etchebaster
, Knox was a formidable opponent on the court tennis court. He became World Champion when he defeated Albert "Jack" Johnson at the Racquet and Tennis Club
in New York in 1959. A title he held until 1969, retiring undefeated.
expansion team in 1967, but was rebuffed. In 1968, the NHL Board of Governors rejected their agreement to move the Oakland Seals to Buffalo pending league approval. Finally, on December 2, 1969 the league announced its decision to expand to Buffalo and Vancouver for the 1970-71 season. Knox was a principal owner of the Buffalo Sabres from their foundation as a National Hockey League franchise in 1970 until a few months before his death.
of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League in 1991 and the Buffalo Blizzard
of the National Professional Soccer League in 1992.
The brothers also brought their vision of a state of the art sports and entertainment complex originally named the Marine Midland Arena and now called the First Niagara Center to life. The 20,000 seat complex was completed in 1996 and is located at 1 Seymour H. Knox, III Plaza on the waterfront in downtown Buffalo. It is the home of the Buffalo Sabres
and the Buffalo Bandits
as well as the former home of the Buffalo Blizzard
and Buffalo Destroyers of the Arena Football League.
. Northrup's wife Lucetta died on October 12, 2008 after a long illness.
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
franchise the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
to Buffalo, New York. Knox is the third generation of the Knox family to serve as chairman of Marine Midland Bank
Marine Midland Bank
Marine Midland Bank was a bank formerly headquartered in Buffalo with several hundred branches throughout the state of New York. Marine Midland began in 1850 in Buffalo as the Marine Trust Company with the objective of financing the new shipping trade on the Great Lakes...
and its predecessors. His father Seymour H. Knox II
Seymour H. Knox II
Seymour Horace Knox II was a Buffalo, New York philanthropist and art exponent. He was born in 1898 in Buffalo, New York, the son of Seymour H. Knox I, the F.W. Woolworth Company co-founder. He was the father of Seymour H. Knox III and Northrup R...
and grandfather Seymour H. Knox I
Seymour H. Knox I
This article is about the Buffalo merchant and businessman; see Seymour Knox for other people with this name.Seymour Horace Knox I , was a Buffalo, New York businessman who made his fortune in five-and-dime stores...
also served as chairmen. He was also a past chairman of the Buffalo Sabres. He was chairman and governor of the United States Polo Association
United States Polo Association
The United States Polo Association is the national governing body for the sport of polo in the United States since 1890. The USPA provides resources to approximately 3600 individual members and 250 polo clubs across the U.S. and Canada, including coordinating and supervising professional polo...
.
Biography
He was born on December 24, 1928 in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and attended the Aiken Preparatory School
Aiken Preparatory School
Aiken Preparatory School is a private, 4K-12 coeducational college preparatory school located on over in the historic district of Aiken, South Carolina....
in Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken is a city in and the county seat of Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. With Augusta, Georgia, it is one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area. It is part of the Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area. Aiken is home to the University of South...
and St. Paul's School
St. Paul's School (Concord, New Hampshire)
St. Paul's School is a highly selective college-preparatory, coeducational boarding school in Concord, New Hampshire affiliated with the Episcopal Church. The school is one of only six remaining 100% residential boarding schools in the U.S. The New Hampshire campus currently serves 533 students,...
in Concord, New Hampshire
Concord, New Hampshire
The city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
. He was a 1950 graduate of 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...
. At Yale, Norty starred in squash and won two Y's as a hockey goaltender. He was also a member of the Scroll and Key
Scroll and Key
The Scroll and Key Society is a secret society, founded in 1842 at Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut. It is the wealthiest and second oldest Yale secret society...
society.
The only amateur in the postwar era to reach an eight-goal rating, he captained the US team in the challenge for the Cup of the Americas in 1966 and 1969 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, distinguishing himself as one of America's finest offensive players. With his legendary group of mares, known as the "4 Rs" (Ragamuffin, Rotallen, Ravanelle and Roulette), Norty was generally recognized as the best mounted player in the US at that time. After playing those ponies in the 1969 Cup of the Americas he was also considered the best mounted player in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
as well. He was inducted into the Polo Hall of Fame in 1994.
A protégé of the Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
master Pierre Etchebaster
Pierre Etchebaster
Pierre Etchebaster is widely considered history's greatest player of real tennis , the original racquet sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis , is descended.Born in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France, a Basque fishing village, he served in the French Army during World War I before...
, Knox was a formidable opponent on the court tennis court. He became World Champion when he defeated Albert "Jack" Johnson at the Racquet and Tennis Club
Racquet and Tennis Club
The Racquet and Tennis Club is a private social club and athletic club located at 370 Park Avenue, between East 52nd and 53rd Streets, New York, New York.-Building:...
in New York in 1959. A title he held until 1969, retiring undefeated.
Buffalo Sabres
With his brother Seymour H. Knox III, he presented an application October 19, 1965 to obtain a National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
expansion team in 1967, but was rebuffed. In 1968, the NHL Board of Governors rejected their agreement to move the Oakland Seals to Buffalo pending league approval. Finally, on December 2, 1969 the league announced its decision to expand to Buffalo and Vancouver for the 1970-71 season. Knox was a principal owner of the Buffalo Sabres from their foundation as a National Hockey League franchise in 1970 until a few months before his death.
Buffalo Sports
The Knox Brothers were the impetus behind the establishment of the Buffalo BanditsBuffalo Bandits
The Buffalo Bandits are a team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. The Bandits played in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1992 to 1997, until the MILL turned into the NLL in 1998....
of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League in 1991 and the Buffalo Blizzard
Buffalo Blizzard
The Buffalo Blizzard was an indoor soccer team based in Buffalo, New York. The team was a member of the now defunct NPSL from 1992 to 2001. From 1992-1996, the team played at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, and they moved to HSBC Arena in 1996 where they played until 2001.The team was originally...
of the National Professional Soccer League in 1992.
The brothers also brought their vision of a state of the art sports and entertainment complex originally named the Marine Midland Arena and now called the First Niagara Center to life. The 20,000 seat complex was completed in 1996 and is located at 1 Seymour H. Knox, III Plaza on the waterfront in downtown Buffalo. It is the home of the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
and the Buffalo Bandits
Buffalo Bandits
The Buffalo Bandits are a team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. The Bandits played in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1992 to 1997, until the MILL turned into the NLL in 1998....
as well as the former home of the Buffalo Blizzard
Buffalo Blizzard
The Buffalo Blizzard was an indoor soccer team based in Buffalo, New York. The team was a member of the now defunct NPSL from 1992 to 2001. From 1992-1996, the team played at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, and they moved to HSBC Arena in 1996 where they played until 2001.The team was originally...
and Buffalo Destroyers of the Arena Football League.
Death
He died on July 23, 1998 in East Aurora, New YorkEast Aurora, New York
East Aurora is a village in Erie County, New York, United States, southeast of Buffalo. The Village of East Aurora lies in the eastern half of the Town of Aurora.The population was 6,673 at the 2000 census...
. Northrup's wife Lucetta died on October 12, 2008 after a long illness.
Legacy
The Knox brothers, who brought major league hockey to Buffalo, were inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 1992 and into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame in 1996. Northrup Knox was survived by his daughter, Linda Knox McLean, a son, Northrup R. Jr and five grandchildren, Richard, Lisa, and Arthur Schmon, Charles and Northrup Knox III.See also
- Buffalo SabresBuffalo SabresThe Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
- List of real tennis world champions
- Knox Farm State ParkKnox Farm State ParkThe Knox Farm State Park is located adjacent to the village of East Aurora, New York, USA. It is the former country estate of Buffalo's wealthy Knox Family, and spans , containing a number of habitats, including grasslands, woodlands, ponds and wetlands...
- Aiken Tennis ClubAiken Tennis ClubThe Aiken Tennis Club is a private court tennis club located at 146 Newberry Street, SW in Aiken, South Carolina. It includes the Court Tennis Building. The club was incorporated in 1898 with the sponsorship of financier and founder of the prominent Whitney family, William C. Whitney...
- Real tennisReal tennisReal tennis – one of several games sometimes called "the sport of kings" – is the original indoor racquet sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis , is descended...
- Buffalo Memorial AuditoriumBuffalo Memorial AuditoriumBuffalo Memorial Auditorium was an indoor arena in downtown Buffalo, New York. It hosted the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL, the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL, the Buffalo Braves of the NBA, the Buffalo Stallions of MSL, the Buffalo Bandits of MILL, the Buffalo Blizzard of the second NPSL and the Buffalo...