DANIEL CHAPIN KINSEY,1902-1970

PAPERS, 1922-1970

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BIOGRAPHY

Daniel Chapin Kinsey, the son of Edward and Inez Wheeler Kinsey, was born in St. Louis in 1902. He attended college at the University of Illinois where he became a star hurdler. He won the 110 meters hurdles event at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, France. His time of 15 seconds flat was one-fifth of a second more than the best previous Olympic time. He also won the I.C.A.A. high hurdles championship in 1924 and the low hurdles championship in 1925. In addition, he played football with "Red" Grange, the Galloping Ghost, in the halfback spot, but broke his leg.

After receiving his B.S. degree in education from the University of Illinois in 1926, he briefly attended the University of Chicago and George Williams College. While at the University of Chicago he met and married South Dakotan Dorothy Gross (1903-73) in 1929. At Oberlin College he earned his M.A. degree in physical education in 1935 while he taught in the Department of Physical Education for Men.

During his 30 years at Oberlin College, Kinsey offered courses such as History and Principles of Physical Education, Administration and Organization, Physical Education Activities: Advanced Course (i.e., health, track and swimming). He also coached cross country, track and field, wrestling and fencing Kinsey's teams won 18 Ohio Athletic Conference titles. Although he was initially recruited to replace track coach Albert E. Lumley, by 1935 Kinsey also took on extra duties as assistant swimming coach, assuming the head swimming position a year later.

A highly regarded coach and professor who believed in the "student-athlete" concept, Kinsey served as the Director of Intramural Sports from 1954-58. In addition to his fine coaching record, Kinsey published articles on swimming and track for the Athletic Journal, as well as presented numerous talks on sports subjects to a variety of audiences. Associate Professor Kinsey had also given much to community service.

By way of illustration, Kinsey was the first chairman of the Oberlin Recreation Committee; a division chairman for the Oberlin Community Chest; and, a trustee of the Oberlin Shansi Memorial Association. He was active in Boy Scout work as well. Earlier in his career he was the secretary of the American Olympians (1932-36). Kinsey was also elected President of the NCAA Cross Country Association.

Kinsey, who became a Quaker after World War II, helped to found the first Quaker meetinghouse in Oberlin. He spent many summers at American Friends Service Committee work camps. His devotion to Quakerism led him to accept an appointment at Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana, in 1961.

Upon his resignation from Oberlin in 1959 to become professor and director of health, physical education and recreation at Earlham College, Kinsey received a year's leave of absence in order to observe Earlham's "Quaker experiment in higher education." After witnessing this educational style, he accepted their job offer. At Earlham, he coached the track and cross country teams to an undefeated season in 1960. Unfortunately, his philosophy of athletics came in conflict with many of his colleagues' beliefs. He felt athletics were for the athlete not the spectator. Thus, he did not recruit players simply because of their athletic ability. Owing to these differences in philosophy, Kinsey left Earlham to pursue his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan, which he received in 1961. He became a professor and chairman of physical education and recreation at Delta College, Bay City, Michigan. He held this post until 1968. He then returned to Richmond, Indiana and served half-time as the Recreation Director at Earlham. In 1970, he finally retired.

On June 27, 1970, Daniel Kinsey died at home in Richmond, Indiana. His wife, Dorothy Gross, died three years later. Sons, David and Douglas, and a daughter, Mrs. Dea Jean Andrews, survived their parents.

Posthumously, Kinsey was inducted into the hall of fame of the Ohio Association of Cross Country and Track (1981) and Oberlin College's Heisman Club (1991).

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