Obituary - Anthony J. Knap

Anthony Joseph (Tony) Knap, 96

Tony Knap died Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011, at Bishop Place Retirement Center in Pullman, after having lived a long, rich and exciting life centered on family, friendships and football. He was born in Milwaukee to Polish immigrants, John and Angeline Knap, Dec. 8, 1914.

He and his siblings distinguished themselves academically throughout their educational pursuits, but it was athletics that became Knap's destiny.

When offered a football scholarship to the University of Idaho, he packed his bags and drove an old Model T Ford across country with three other players from the Midwest; 26 flat tires later, the foursome arrived in Moscow just in time to begin two-a-day practices for the 1936 football season. Knap earned his letter all four seasons, was named to the All Pacific Coast Team, and selected for the All American Team following his senior season.

In 1940, Knap earned a bachelor of science degree from UI and signed a contract with Bonners Ferry (Idaho) School District to teach science and history, and coach football, baseball and boxing.

His teaching and coaching are a matter of record, but he often said that it was his meeting, courting and marrying his wife that he considered his greatest success. The couple were married April 5, 1941, in Bonners Ferry. Their union proved a winning combination - the couple recently celebrated their platinum ' 70th ' anniversary.

Knap coached a year at Lewiston, while waiting for his World War II military commission. He served as a U.S. Navy lieutenant with various but unique training assignments. In fact, his brothers often quipped that his greatest contribution to the war effort happened on the Navy's Good-Will Ambassador Team. Knap's wartime duty was to play football.

After his honorable discharge, Knap resumed his high school teaching-coaching career in Idaho at Potlatch High School, where he continued his enthusiasm for teaching, coaching and play.

Knap invented a family game called 'Treasure Hunt on the Football Field' and enlisted his wife and their three young daughters to play with him every Saturday. The strategy was simply to rake up rocks and carry them off the football field. The winner was the one who found the most gold nuggets and saber-tooth tiger teeth.

In 1949, Knap was invited to participate in a summer coaching clinic with the revered football coach Pappy Waldorf at the University of California-Berkeley. While attending the clinic, Knap was recruited by the Pittsburg (Calif.) School District to teach and coach. The young, energetic family left the greatest state, greatest school, greatest job, greatest players, and greatest community for a new challenge in the Golden State.

Opportunity was as abundant as sunshine at Pittsburg High School. For the next 10 years, from 1949 to 1959, Knap conditioned his players, honed their skills, taught sophisticated strategies, and trusted his players with game responsibilities that encouraged decision making, required cooperation and built confidence. His teams won. They ignited energy, enthusiasm and imagination. Friday night was football night and the town turned out en masse to cheer their team to victory.

Opportunity knocked again and again, but leaving the greatest school, greatest job, greatest players and greatest community was always agonizing for the Knap family. However, the attraction of new adventure consistently won the coin toss. In 1959, Knap joined head coach John Ralston as defensive coordinator at Utah State University in Logan and three years later he became head coach when Ralston left for Stanford. Knap compiled a 25-14-1 record in four seasons for the Aggies. After a season with the British Columbia Lions in 1967, Knap returned to college coaching in Idaho at Boise State University, where he led the Broncos to a 71-19-1 record in eight years. In 1976, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas gave Knap an offer he couldn't refuse, one that would secure a comfortable future for Knap and his wife. He coached the Running Rebels for six seasons and a 47-20-2 record. All in all, Knap, nicknamed the Silver Fox, achieved an amazing career record.

This may sound a little Kumbaya, but Knap's coaching philosophy never focused on winning or losing games. Certainly, the outcome was important. But he understood football as a messy game that paralleled life - competitive on the surface but requiring teamwork, preparation, hard work and some luck. A tenacious, tireless and very stubborn optimist, Knap saw the best in people and expected, often demanded, that they live up to their potential. He believed in family, fun, sportsmanship, second chances, an open-door policy, the value of education and good manners.

The last time Knap was hospitalized, he was blessed with a period of mental clarity that he hadn't experienced in recent years. It was then that he thoughtfully expressed his final wishes. Since he and his wife had been a winning team for more than 70 years, he believed it was fitting that his funeral services be postponed until she passed away so their lives would be celebrated together. He finished his game as he lived a true gentleman and loyal to the end.

He is survived by his wife; three daughters; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and one brother.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the team of choice. The 'Silver Fox' was always a diplomat.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Short's Funeral Chapel of Moscow and online condolences may be sent to www.shortsfuneralchapel.net.

Lewiston Tribune, September 29, 2011, p. 5C
Transcribed by Jill Leonard Nock