Kirkwood Football Coaches Past

Webster Groves has introduced, in 2020, its tenth known head coach in program history since 1902, and there is plenty known about those coaches personally and professionally. However, there are still some confusing and unknown elements to the timeline of Kirkwood football head coaches which, in 2020, still are not understood. Three of the biggest mysteries surround, who were James Hard, coach in 1901; Donald Kirk, coach in 1908 and 1909; and W. C. Ashley, head coach in 1913 and 1914.

One recent development in historical research is the tracing of genealogy for those involved – and there are such fabulous digital tools to use! There are many coaches in Kirkwood's early era that left no trace after they left service to the team and school. The original high school building burned to ash, along with its records, frustrating researchers for years. However, digital records have changed the face of research entirely. This year, in 2020, we finally have the background of one lost head coach and good leads on a second.

First of the unknown coaches was the man who coached the team in 1908 and 1909. He was recorded as Donald D. Kirk. Digital research found his origins in Eureka, Illinois and was probably originally named Donum Dee Kirk, the twin brother of Bonum Lee Kirk. Both were born December 23, 1885, the sons of James Kirk and Mary Ellen Cundiff. At some point, probably early in his life, Donum was replaced with Donald and he frequently went by the name "Don." In 1909, Donald Kirk was in opposition to the new Superintendent of the Kirkwood School District, John Hardt, along with other teachers at the school. The contingent lost a political battle against him, which cost him, and the other teachers, their issuance of new contracts for the 1910-11 school year. Later in life, Donald married Anna Kisserow and they lived in Chicago at the time of his death on November 6, 1968. Donald and Anna were childless, which often makes finding and researching persons difficult. It should be noted that Donald Kirk coached Kirkwood football in the second Turkey Day Game played against Webster Groves and won the very first – ever – County League Championship against them. Both wins gave Kirkwood football the County Championship, which they created, and the County League Championship. This would be the only year that both titles were available to win and he coached the only team to have ever won them both in the same year.

The Kirkwood team was coached in 1913 and 1914 by a man only known as W. C. Ashley. Extensive searches through records have found a family in Illinois, which may be the right family. They also have a son named Charles Wilbur Ashley but he went by the name "Wilbur" and his initials were sometimes typed as "W. C." There is an additional complication in that he was born October 21, 1898, which would have made him 15 and 16 years of age when he coached Kirkwood football. However, comparing his enlistment photo in 1917 to the W. C. Ashley in the Kirkwood football team photo, there is a strong resemblance between the two persons. It is unlikely that this is the same person, reinforced by the part in their hair being on opposite sides, and extensive research of the family of Charles Wilbur Ashley, his father, uncles, and cousins finds no person named with the initials "W. C." Ashley. The search continues through that family and other digital records to find the W. C. Ashley who coached the Kirkwood football team to beat Webster in 1913 and won the County League Championship in 1914 – a team so tough, Webster refused to play.

This year would have been the 112th varsity meeting between the 122nd varsity football teams of both schools. Webster still leads the series of all games 54-50-7, but Kirkwood leads the series in Turkey Day Games, 43-37-5. Kirkwood also held an unprecedented string of seven annual wins in the Turkey Day Game. May the Bell ring for you this Turkey Day!