Hamilton Gazetteer / Entities / Robert A. King

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person

Overview

Robert A. King (known as “Bob King” or “the Kinger”) served as Hamilton College’s head football coach from 1972 through fall 1974. He replaced Professor Donald M. Jones, who had taken a leave of absence, and was hired in June 1972. He was dismissed by President Carovano in fall 1974 after two winless (0-8) seasons, following which Jones was reinstated. King subsequently coached football and basketball at Elizabeth Forward High School in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania.

Relevance to Research

The spec-1974-12-06 provides the most detailed coverage: a lengthy article on Hamilton football policy reports King’s hiring to replace Jones, his two 0-8 seasons (1973, 1974), his dismissal by President Carovano, and includes multiple letters from students defending or critiquing him. King is quoted directly in this article. The spec-1975-11-21 provides a follow-up, reporting that King had moved back to the Elizabeth, PA area and was coaching at Elizabeth Forward High School with a successful 6-3 record. The spec-1978-12-01 refers back to King in a retrospective on Hamilton football history, confirming his role as “acting head football coach for two seasons” under President John W. Chandler before his dismissal.

Notes

The yhm-arc-pub-cat-1944-45, 1945-46, and 1946-47 catalog references, and the yhm-arc-pub-news-1946-06-01 reference, are to “Ivan Robert King,” a different individual (a student who won prizes in Greek and Mathematics in the mid-1940s). The hamilton-life-1936-11-17 reference is to “Robert King Gray,” again a different person. The yhm-arc-pub-cat-1990-91 reference is to “Timothy Robert King Giles,” also distinct. None of these are Robert A. King the football coach.