Biographical details | |
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Born | (1881-04-10)April 10, 1881 Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Died | December 26, 1964(1964-12-26) (aged 83) Bristol Township, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Playing career | |
Football | |
1900–1903 | Penn |
Basketball | |
1900–1904 | Penn |
Position(s) | End (football) |
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
Football | |
1914–1921 | Haverford |
1923–1928 | Sewanee |
Basketball | |
1919–1921 | Haverford |
1924–1926 | Sewanee |
Baseball | |
1917–1921 | Haverford |
Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
1923–1930 | Sewanee |
Head coaching record | |
Overall | 39–54–10 (football) 2–29 (baseball) |
Michael Smith Bennett (April 10, 1881 – December 26, 1964) was an American college football, college basketball, and college baseball player, coach, athletics administrator, dentist, and politician.
Early life
Bennett was born in Montgomery County, near Willow Grove and Fitzwatertown, on April 10, 1881. He was one of the eight children (fourth son) of Elias Roland Bennett and Catherine Carolan.
His father came from a family of Bucks County farmers. Elias served during the Civil War in the 1st New Jersey Cavalry Regiment and deserted after the Grand Review to marry Catherine Carolan, the daughter of a blacksmith.
His mother Catherine Carolan was born in County Meath, Ireland, and came to the U.S. at age four in 1847 aboard the Patrick Henry. Michael was named for his mother's brother, a blacksmith and horseshoer in Dreshertown, Feltonville and Franklinville, respectively.
Dentistry, athletics, politics
Bennett graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1905. He practiced dentistry most of his life in the Olney neighborhood of Philadelphia.
He married Lucy A. Stumpf and they had two sons: Michael John Bennett, M.D., and George Penniman Bennett, M.D.
He played college football, baseball and basketball for the Penn Quakers. Afterward, he coached football at Mercersburg Academy and Chestnut Hill College. Later, he was named the director of athletics and head football coach at Sewanee: The University of the South.
Bennett served on the Philadelphia City Council from 1916 to 1917 and was elected in 1917 as a Republican to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He did not seek reelection in 1918.
Bennett died on December 26, 1964.
Head coaching record
Football
Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
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Haverford (Independent) (1914–1921) | |||||||||
1914 | Haverford | 3–3–1 | |||||||
1915 | Haverford | 5–3 | |||||||
1916 | Haverford | 5–0–3 | |||||||
1917 | Haverford | 1–5–2 | |||||||
1918 | No team—World War I | ||||||||
1919 | Haverford | 2–4–1 | |||||||
1920 | Haverford | 1–5–1 | |||||||
1921 | Haverford | 1–5–1 | |||||||
Haverford: | 18–25–9 | ||||||||
Sewanee Tigers (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1923) | |||||||||
1923 | Sewanee | 5–4–1 | 3–2 | 9th | |||||
Sewanee Tigers (Southern Conference / Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1924) | |||||||||
1924 | Sewanee | 6–4 | 3–2 / 2–1 | T–6th / T–6th | |||||
Sewanee Tigers (Southern Conference) (1925–1928) | |||||||||
1923 | Sewanee | 4–4–1 | 1–4 | T–16th | |||||
1926 | Sewanee | 2–6 | 0–5 | 22nd | |||||
1927 | Sewanee | 2–6 | 1–4 | 20th | |||||
1928 | Sewanee | 2–7 | 0–5 | 21st | |||||
Sewanee: | 21–29–1 | 9–23 | |||||||
Total: | 39–54–10 |
References
- Michael Smith Bennett, Death Certificate, Pennsylvania, US Death Certificates, 1906-1970, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.
- Carolan, Michael Charles (January 29, 2025). "How My Ancestors Began Their American Dream". Medium. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
- Maxwell, W. J., ed. (1922). General Alumni Catalogue of the University of Pennsylvania, 1922. University of Pennsylvania. General Alumni Society. p. 713.
- "Harry Harman May Coach Sewanee Football Eleven". Reading Times. January 23, 1930. p. 20. Retrieved February 18, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. [REDACTED]
- "Gridiron Taking Place Bull Ring". Madera Tribune. February 20, 1929.
- "Michael Smith Bennett". Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
- "Dr. M. S. Bennett, 83; Retired Dentist, Coach". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. December 29, 1964. p. 48. Retrieved June 5, 2020 – via Newspapers.com [REDACTED] .
External links
Haverford Fords head football coaches | |
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Sewanee Tigers athletic directors | |
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Sewanee Tigers head football coaches | |
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Sewanee Tigers men's basketball head coaches | |
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- 1881 births
- 1964 deaths
- 20th-century American dentists
- American football ends
- American men's basketball players
- Haverford Fords baseball coaches
- Haverford Fords football coaches
- Haverford Fords men's basketball coaches
- Penn Quakers football players
- Penn Quakers men's basketball players
- Philadelphia City Council members
- Republican Party members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
- Sewanee Tigers athletic directors
- Sewanee Tigers football coaches
- Sewanee Tigers men's basketball coaches
- Coaches of American football from Pennsylvania
- Players of American football from Philadelphia
- Basketball players from Philadelphia
- Baseball coaches from Pennsylvania
- Basketball coaches from Pennsylvania
- Health professionals from Pennsylvania
- 20th-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly