John F. Blake

John Francis "Boney" Blake (January 20, 1895 – June 30, 1974) was an American athlete and coach at Niagara University.

Playing A native of Danbury, Connecticut, Blake was a standout baseball and basketball player at Niagara University. He also played professional basketball in Danbury from 1915 to 1918. He was one of the three initial members of the Niagara University basketball hall of fame, alongside Larry Costello and Bucky Connelly.

Coaching Blake graduated from Niagara in 1915 and served in the United States Army during World War I. After his discharge, he returned to the university as football, baseball, and basketball coach. He left Niagara in 1924 to become a professor at St. John's University. He returned to coaching in 1933 as an assistant basketball coach at Fordham.

Death Blake died on June 30, 1974 at a veteran's hospital in Northport, New York after a brief illness. He had one son, a minister.