Clarion Athletics

A devoted teacher and coach, Joe was employed at Clarion 1961-78 and had a great impact on those he taught and coached. Widely known for being Clarion's head baseball coach for 14 seasons, Knowles' teams put together a varsity record of 168-105, a junior varsity slate of 12-2, a freshman team record of 8-0, and a Southern Tour record of 49-7, for an overall slate of 239-114, or a winning percentage of 67.7%. Knowles' teams qualified for the NAIA District 18 playoffs five times (1965, 67, 69, 73, 77), won the PSAC title in 1967 (mimed PSAC "Coach of theY ear"), and had a number of players sign professional contracts. His most famous product is former 1982 American League Cy Young Award Winner Pete Vuckovich, who was installed in the first Hall of Fame class. A native of Oakdale, Pa., Joe is a 1936 grad of North Fayette High and a 1941 grad of Waynesburg College. Serving in the U.S. Air Force 1941-45, he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war Joe was a teacher/coach at Sharpsburg High (1945-53), Clarion Limestone (1953-56), and the City of Erie Public Schools (1956-61), before coming back to Clarion. An assistant football coach at Clarion under Waldo Tippin (1953-55), he returned in 1961 under Ernest Johnson for two seasons and assisted AI Jacks for nine seasons (1963-71). He was also an assistant basketball coach under John Joy for three years (1961-64).