James A. McKinstry

Who is James A. McKinstry?

James A. McKinstry was a physical education teacher and administrator in the New York City Department of Education and previously worked in aeronautical engineering. He was listed on the New York Jets 1963 team roster and included in a Life magazine photograph of the team.

McKinstry played in the Canadian Football League with the Montreal Alouettes and Ottawa Rough Riders from 1962 to 1963. While playing on the Grand Rapids Blazers in the United Football League, McKinstry was recruited by the New York Jets as a free agent. He also had interest from other teams, such as the New York Giants. McKinstry played as a tight end with the Jets from 1963 to 1965.

During his time with the Jets, McKinstry worked full-time on the off season for Grumman Aerospace Corporation in Bethpage on the project management team. He coordinated activities for the Lunar Excursion Module and was the Night Director for F-14 Tomcat production. McKinstry worked on the proposal plan for the X-29, which is currently in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

During his time at Grumman, McKinstry's love of education grew. He obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in health and physical education at LIU Post in 1976.