Hall of Fame
Kenneth Knapp came to WVU Tech from Poca H.S., Poca, West Virginia
in the fall of 1956. During what many consider the Golden Age
of collegiate athletics Ken played both football and baseball, excelling
in both. On the football field Ken was a two-way player, something
rarely scene today in an age of specialization. He played both
quarterback and end in Montgomery between 1956 and 1959.
Yet, it was on the baseball diamond where Ken had his most notable
athletic successes. As a pitcher, in a time where teams played
many fewer games, Ken was the team’s ace. As a senior, in the
spring of 1960 Ken compiled an impressive 7-2 record as a starting
pitcher for the Golden Bears. His prowess at the plate was even
more impressive. He hit over .300 in each of the seasons he played,
with a .333 average as a senior being his highest.
Athletic success is only a small part of the Kenneth Knapp story.
Ken an outstanding student in the classroom as well as a leader on
the athletic fields. A Mechanical Engineering major, he graduated
from WVU Tech with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1960. Soon
after graduation he was nominated for one of the most prestigious
and well known academic awards, the Fulbright Scholarship. The
Fulbright Program, the flagship international educational exchange
program sponsored by the U.S. government, is designed to increase
mutual understanding between the people of the United States
and the people of other countries.
Ken worked for a number of years for the Eaton Corporation, where
he was an engineer and then later a member of management. He is
now retired and living in Palm Bay, florida.
