St. Lawrence University Athletics

One of only five athletes to receive a star for athletic excellence in four sports prior to 1916, Charles Alexander was considered one of St. Lawrence University’s greatest athletes in the early 1900’s.

He quarterbacked the football team, was the shortstop on the baseball team and ran the dashes in track. His most notable exploits came on the basketball court where he scored the winning foul shot in a triple overtime victory over Yale, which at that time was considered one of the top basketball teams in the nation. St. Lawrence and Yale were tied at 17-17 after regulation time and 18-18 after the first five minute overtime.

Alexander’s free throw in the third overtime was the deciding shot and gave St. Lawrence a 19-18 win.

He also played a significant role in a 17-16 loss to the University of Pennsylvania in the 1903 season in basketball and helped establish St. Lawrence as one of the top small college football teams in the East during his career as a quarterback.

A member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and also an outstanding student, he remained in the North Country following his graduation from St. Lawrence. He died in 1943 at the age of 61.