John "Johnny" Knecht graduated from Chillicothe High School in 1935.

He was the first CHS athlete to win 11 Varsity "C" letters - four in basketball (co-captain his senior year), four in track and three in football.

The CHS track team won an unprecedented three consecutive Southeastern Ohio District Track Championships during his varsity career.

His 105 yard kickoff return his freshman year at CHS is an all time record. He scored the first TD on Arch Street Field (now Herrnstein Field) in 1932. He is one of three CHS football players to score 6 TDs in one game.

He was captain of the freshman football team at The Ohio State University. He later transferred to the University of Alabama, and eventually graduated from Ohio University in 1940.