James C. Donnelly
Portrait of Judge James C. Donnelly, Worcester County Courthouse
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| Sport(s) | Football |
|---|---|
| Biographical details | |
| Born |
December 9, 1881 Clinton, Massachusetts |
| Died | March 24, 1952 (aged 70) Ashland, Virginia |
| Playing career | |
| 1904 | Dartmouth |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1909 | Worcester Tech (WPI) |
| 1910 | Howard (AL) |
| 1911 | Worcester Tech (WPI) |
| 1912–1914 | Miami (OH) |
| 1915 | Worcester Tech (WPI) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 22–32–4 (college) |
James Corcoran Donnelly (December 9, 1881 – March 24, 1952) was an American football player and coach in the early 1900s. He played football at Worcester's Classical High School then went on to Dartmouth where he played football. After graduation in 1905 he went to Harvard Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1908. He practiced law and served as head football coach at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (1909, 1911, 1915), Howard College in Birmingham, Alabama (1910), and Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (1912–1914), compiling a career college football record of 22–32–4. In 1931, he was appointed a Superior Court judge. His younger brother, Charley Donnelly also coached football at the high school and college level. His youngest brother, Ralph E. Donnelly, was also a standout football player and war hero.
Donnelly was born on December 9, 1881 in Clinton, Massachusetts. Donnelly was the oldest of seven children born to John E. Donnelly and Mary Ellen Corcoran Donnelly. His father immigrated from England and was a machinist in Clinton. His siblings were: John W. Donnelly, Charles Francis Donnelly, Joseph Alyosius Donnelly, Mary Valentine Donnelly Campbell, Ralph Edward Donnelly, and Kathleen Louise Donnelly Crowley. James graduated from Classical High School in Worcester, where he had starred in football.
He attended Dartmouth College where he graduated with an A.B. in 1905. He excelled in football where he played end on the first Dartmouth football team to beat Harvard. In 1904, his final year, he lettered under coach Fred Folsom. That year, he helped the Dartmouth eleven to an undefeated record of 9–0–1 with a scoreless tie to national power Harvard. Donnelly played alongside three Walter Camp All-Americans, Joseph Gilman at guard (2nd team), Ralph Glaze at end (3rd team) and James Vaughn at halfback (3rd team). The team out scored its opponents by a combined score of 143 to 13. After graduating from Dartmouth, Donnelly attended Harvard Law School and graduated in 1907.
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