Franklin Cappon
Cappon cropped from 1921 Michigan football team photograph
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|
| Sport(s) | Football, basketball |
|---|---|
| Biographical details | |
| Born |
October 17, 1900 Holland, Michigan |
| Died | November 29, 1961 (aged 61) Princeton, New Jersey |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1918 | Phillips |
| 1920–1922 | Michigan |
| Basketball | |
| 1920–1922 | Michigan |
| Position(s) |
End, fullback, halfback, tackle (football) Guard (basketball) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1923–1924 | Luther (IA) |
| 1925 | Michigan (ends/backs) |
| 1926–1927 | Kansas |
| 1928–1937 | Michigan (assistant) |
| 1938–? | Princeton (assistant) |
| Basketball | |
| 1928–1931 | Michigan (assistant) |
| 1931–1938 | Michigan |
| 1938–1943 | Princeton |
| 1946–1961 | Princeton |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1924–1925 | Luther (IA) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 13–14–2 (football) 340–242 (basketball) |
Franklin C. "Cappy" Cappon (October 17, 1900 – November 29, 1961) was a college athlete and coach. He played football and basketball at Phillips University and the University of Michigan and coached basketball and football at Luther College (1923–1924), the University of Kansas (1926–1927), the University of Michigan (1925, 1928–1938), and Princeton University (1938–1961).
The son of a wealthy leather manufacturer in Holland, Michigan, Cappon was a star athlete in both basketball and football, and was named to All-Western football teams in 1920, 1921, and 1922. Before accepting a position at Princeton, Cappon was an assistant athletic director and basketball coach at Michigan from 1928 to 1938. In 23 years at Princeton, Cappon won five Ivy League championships, and his trademark "five-man weave" offense became closely identified with the program. He was a mentor at Princeton to a generation of student-athletes, including Butch van Breda Kolff, Bill Bradley and Frank Deford. Cappon died at age 61 of a heart attack in the showers at Princeton's Dillon Gymnasium after a basketball practice session.
Cappon was born and raised in Holland, Michigan. Cappon was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Cappon. His parents were both born in the Netherlands. His father, Isaac Cappon, came to Holland at age 17 and opened a tannery business that became one of Holland's largest companies, the Cappon-Bertsch Leather Co. His father was a leading citizen of the area and became Holland's first mayor, serving four terms. Cappon and his four sisters were raised in the family's stately house at 228 West 9th Street in Holland, built by Isaac Cappon in 1873 and considered one of the most beautiful homes in old Holland.
Cappon was an excellent all-around athlete at Holland High School. He played four years of varsity football and basketball and was all-state in both sports. In 1916, Cappon was the fullback on the Holland team that defeated rival Grand Haven 83–0. Holland gained 755 yards of offense in the game, and Cappon alone gained 364 yards. As a senior, Cappon led the 1917 Holland High School team to a series of extraordinary wins, beating Fennville (127–0), Kalamazoo High (60–0), Grand Haven (81–0), Benton Harbor (90–0), Grand Rapids Union (32–3), Traverse City (20–7) and Western State Normal (104–9), but losing to Grand Rapids Central (20–0).
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