Northrup R. Knox

Northrup Rand Knox
Born	(1928-12-24) 24 December 1928 Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Died	23 July 1998(1998-07-23) (aged 69) East Aurora, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Banker, athlete, sports executive
Known for	Co-founder and chairman of the Buffalo Sabres; chairman and governor of the United States Polo Association; banker at Marine Midland Bank

Northrup Rand Knox (December 24, 1928 – July 23, 1998) was a prominent banker, athlete, and civic figure from Buffalo, New York. Together with his brother Seymour, he played a pivotal role in establishing the National Hockey League presence in Buffalo by co-founding the Buffalo Sabres. Representing the third generation of the Knox family to lead Marine Midland Bank and its antecedents, he followed in the footsteps of his father, Seymour H. Knox II, and grandfather, Seymour H. Knox I, who also held chairman positions. Beyond banking, he served as chairman of the Buffalo Sabres and held the roles of chairman and governor within the United States Polo Association.

Early life

Born on December 24, 1928, in Buffalo, New York, Knox was the younger son of Seymour H. Knox II and Helen Northrup. His older brother and sole sibling was Seymour H. Knox III.

His education included attendance at Aiken Preparatory School in Aiken, South Carolina and later at St. Paul's School located in Concord, New Hampshire. He completed his studies at Yale University in 1950. During his time at Yale, Northrup excelled in squash and earned two varsity letters as a hockey goaltender. Additionally, he was inducted into the prestigious Scroll and Key society.

Career

He remains the sole amateur polo player in the post-World War II period to attain an eight-goal handicap. Serving as captain of the United States squad during the 1966 and 1969 Cup of the Americas contests held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he earned recognition as one of the premier offensive talents in American polo. Riding his renowned string of mares collectively called the "4 Rs"—Ragamuffin, Rotallen, Ravanelle, and Roulette—he was widely regarded as the top mounted competitor in the United States at that time. Following his performance on these ponies during the 1969 Cup of the Americas, he also gained acclaim as the leading mounted player in Argentina. His contributions to the sport were honored with induction into the Polo Hall of Fame in 1994.

Trained by Basque maestro Pierre Etchebaster, Knox began mastering polo at an early age at the Aiken Tennis Club, where he also proved a formidable contender in court tennis. He captured the World Championship title by defeating Albert "Jack" Johnson at New York’s Racquet and Tennis Club in 1959. Knox maintained this championship status until his retirement in 1969, retiring undefeated.

Buffalo Sabres

Together with his brother Seymour H. Knox III, he submitted an application on October 19, 1965, seeking to secure a National Hockey League expansion franchise for 1967; however, this initial bid was unsuccessful. In 1968, their proposal to relocate the Oakland Seals to Buffalo was declined by the NHL Board of Governors pending league consent. Ultimately, on December 2, 1969, the league declared its decision to expand by adding teams in Buffalo and Vancouver for the 1970–71 season. From the inception of the franchise in 1970 until shortly before his passing, Knox served as a principal owner of the Buffalo Sabres.

Buffalo Sports

The formation of the Buffalo Bandits in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League in 1991 and the Buffalo Blizzard in the National Professional Soccer League in 1992 was driven by the Knox Brothers.

They were also instrumental in realizing their concept of a cutting-edge sports and entertainment venue, initially known as the Marine Midland Arena and currently called the KeyBank Center. This 20,000-seat facility, finalized in 1996, is situated at 1 Seymour H. Knox III Plaza along Buffalo's downtown waterfront. It serves as the home arena for the Buffalo Sabres and the Buffalo Bandits, and previously hosted the Buffalo Blizzard and Buffalo Destroyers of the Arena Football League.

Personal life

In 1950, Knox wed Lucetta Gilbert Crisp, whom he encountered while spending winters in Aiken, South Carolina. She was the daughter of Van Devanter Crisp and Martha Crisp (née Ottley), residing at 33 East 77th Street, New York City. Lucetta was also the granddaughter of James H. Ottley, associated with both New York City and Glen Cove, Long Island. Her education included attendance at the Garrison Forest School in Owings Mills, Maryland, followed by studies at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. The couple had two children:

• Linda Knox McLean (born 1951), who was once married to Arthur Albert Schmon II from Vancouver, British Columbia before their separation.
• Northrup Rand Knox Jr. (born 1954), who entered into marriage with Victoria A. Beers in 1992.

Northrup passed away on July 23, 1998, in East Aurora, New York. His wife Lucetta died on October 12, 2008, following a prolonged illness.

Legacy

The Knox siblings, credited with introducing major league hockey to Buffalo, were honored by induction into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 1992 and later recognized by the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame in 1996. Northrup Knox was survived by his daughter Linda Knox McLean, his son Northrup R. Knox Jr., and five grandchildren: Richard, Lisa, and Arthur Schmon, as well as Charles Rigby Knox and Northrup Knox III.

See also

• Buffalo Sabres
• List of real tennis world champions
• Knox Farm State Park
• Aiken Tennis Club
• Real tennis
• Buffalo Memorial Auditorium

External links

• Template:Fg
• Sports Illustrated: School of Hard Knox
• Knox Family of Buffalo, NY
• Polo Hall of Fame
• Obituaries: Northrup R. Knox, 69, banker, sportsman, community leader
• Friends of Knox Farm State Park

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