Fred Nielsen
Encyclopedia
Fred Kenelm Nielsen was a Danish-American lawyer, diplomatic official, and college football
coach. Nielsen served as the head football coach at the Maryland Agricultural College (now known as the University of Maryland
) from 1905 to 1906, the George Washington University
from 1907 to 1908, Georgetown University
from 1910 to 1911, and the Catholic University of America from 1915 to 1916.
, Denmark
on April 22, 1879. He emigrated to Omaha, Nebraska
with his parents the following year. Nielsen attended the University of Nebraska, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1902 and a LL. B.
in 1904. During college, he played on the Cornhuskers football team
as a halfback
, and earned a varsity letter in 1900
.
in 1904. In 1905, the Maryland Agricultural College
(now the University of Maryland) hired Nielsen as its head football coach. He replaced its previous coach, D. John Markey, who had quit after the school denied an increase to the job's $300 salary. Nielsen tolerated the low pay, however, because of his full-time job with the State Department. During his two years at Maryland, the Aggies
posted an 11–7 record.
He continued coaching college football part time in the Washington area. From 1907 to 1908, Nielsen was the head coach at the George Washington University
. In his first year there, the Hatchetites
posted a poor 2–5–1 record, but improved to 9–1–1 the following season, which was enough to clinch the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association
(SAIAA) championship. Nielsen then coached at Georgetown University
from 1910 to 1911. In that period, his teams posted a 14–2–2 record and outscored their opponents 438–57. Georgetown's losses came at the hands of undefeated, untied, and unscored upon and the Carlisle Indians
led by Jim Thorpe
. Georgetown secured the SAIAA championship both years of Nielsen's tenure. At the same time, Nielsen studied at the Georgetown University Law School
, and received a Master of Law
degree in 1906.
In 1913, Nielsen was named the Assistant Solicitor of the Department of Department. In 1914, he was assigned as a plenipotentiary
during discussions in Christiania, Norway
of a Spitsbergen
government. As the assistant solicitor, Nielsen did not intend to continue coaching, but in 1915, the Catholic University of America implored him to take over its ailing football program
. He helmed the Cardinals from 1915 to 1916, and compiled a 9–6 record.
In 1918, Nielsen served in the United States Army
until Armistice and attained the rank of major
. He represented the United States at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference
, and was the primary American representative in a commission re-examining Belgian treaty obligations of 1839. Nielsen served on the committee that decided the sovereignty of the Spitsbergen archipelago. On June 23, 1920, President Wilson
appointed Nielsen as the Solicitor of the State Department, the department's chief legal officer. Nielsen resigned from that position in 1922, and later that year, President Harding nominated him as the American representative for the British-American Claims Commission. Nielsen later served as the American commissioner of the Mexican Claims Commission
, which existed from 1924 to 1937 to settle disputes between the two nations. In 1931, he resigned from that post "in disgust" at the actions of some of the Mexican and Panamanian delegates.
Nielsen died on January 12, 1963.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
coach. Nielsen served as the head football coach at the Maryland Agricultural College (now known as the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
) from 1905 to 1906, the George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
from 1907 to 1908, Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
from 1910 to 1911, and the Catholic University of America from 1915 to 1916.
Early life
Nielsen was born in SlagelseSlagelse
Slagelse, a town in east Denmark, is in Slagelse municipality on the island of Zealand. It is about 100 km southwest of Copenhagen. The population is 31,979 ....
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
on April 22, 1879. He emigrated to Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
with his parents the following year. Nielsen attended the University of Nebraska, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1902 and a LL. B.
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
in 1904. During college, he played on the Cornhuskers football team
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
as a halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
, and earned a varsity letter in 1900
1900 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 1900 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team was the representative of the University of Nebraska in the 1900 college football season. The team was coached by Walter C. "Bummy" Booth and played their home games at Antelope Field in Lincoln, Nebraska....
.
Professional career
Nielsen started his career with the United States Department of StateUnited States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
in 1904. In 1905, the Maryland Agricultural College
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
(now the University of Maryland) hired Nielsen as its head football coach. He replaced its previous coach, D. John Markey, who had quit after the school denied an increase to the job's $300 salary. Nielsen tolerated the low pay, however, because of his full-time job with the State Department. During his two years at Maryland, the Aggies
Maryland Terrapins football: 1856–1946
The modern Maryland Terrapins football program representing the University of Maryland traces its lineage to the team first formed at what was then the Maryland Agricultural College in 1892...
posted an 11–7 record.
He continued coaching college football part time in the Washington area. From 1907 to 1908, Nielsen was the head coach at the George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
. In his first year there, the Hatchetites
George Washington Colonials football
The George Washington Colonials football team represented The George Washington University in National Collegiate Athletic Association major college-level football competition from 1881 to 1966. The Colonials were most successful between the 1930s and 1950s when they regularly played top-level...
posted a poor 2–5–1 record, but improved to 9–1–1 the following season, which was enough to clinch the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association
South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association
The South Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association was an intercollegiate athletic conference. The SAIAA was first formed in 1907 and remained active until 1921...
(SAIAA) championship. Nielsen then coached at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
from 1910 to 1911. In that period, his teams posted a 14–2–2 record and outscored their opponents 438–57. Georgetown's losses came at the hands of undefeated, untied, and unscored upon and the Carlisle Indians
Carlisle Indians football
The Carlisle Indians football team represented the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in intercollegiate football competition. The program was active from 1893 until 1917, when it was discontinued. During the program's 25 years, the Indians compiled a 167–88–13 record and 0.647 winning percentage,...
led by Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe
Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...
. Georgetown secured the SAIAA championship both years of Nielsen's tenure. At the same time, Nielsen studied at the Georgetown University Law School
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the law school of Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C.. Established in 1870, the Law Center offers J.D., LL.M., and S.J.D. degrees in law...
, and received a Master of Law
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
degree in 1906.
In 1913, Nielsen was named the Assistant Solicitor of the Department of Department. In 1914, he was assigned as a plenipotentiary
Plenipotentiary
The word plenipotentiary has two meanings. As a noun, it refers to a person who has "full powers." In particular, the term commonly refers to a diplomat fully authorized to represent his government as a prerogative...
during discussions in Christiania, Norway
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
of a Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago in Norway. Constituting the western-most bulk of the archipelago, it borders the Arctic Ocean, the Norwegian Sea and the Greenland Sea...
government. As the assistant solicitor, Nielsen did not intend to continue coaching, but in 1915, the Catholic University of America implored him to take over its ailing football program
Catholic Cardinals football
The Catholic University Cardinals football team represents the Catholic University of America in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III college football competition as a member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference . The team played its first game in 1895 and was a major college...
. He helmed the Cardinals from 1915 to 1916, and compiled a 9–6 record.
In 1918, Nielsen served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
until Armistice and attained the rank of major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
. He represented the United States at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
, and was the primary American representative in a commission re-examining Belgian treaty obligations of 1839. Nielsen served on the committee that decided the sovereignty of the Spitsbergen archipelago. On June 23, 1920, President Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
appointed Nielsen as the Solicitor of the State Department, the department's chief legal officer. Nielsen resigned from that position in 1922, and later that year, President Harding nominated him as the American representative for the British-American Claims Commission. Nielsen later served as the American commissioner of the Mexican Claims Commission
American-Mexican Claims Commission
The American-Mexican Claims Commission, officially known as the General Claims Commission was a commission set up by treaty that adjudicated claims by citizens of the United States and Mexico for losses suffered due to the acts of one government against nationals of the other...
, which existed from 1924 to 1937 to settle disputes between the two nations. In 1931, he resigned from that post "in disgust" at the actions of some of the Mexican and Panamanian delegates.
Nielsen died on January 12, 1963.