MONMOUTHIANA
THE PRINCE OF MONMOUTH ATHLETICS After a stellar playing career, Walter McMillan ’07 devoted his life to inspiring young athletes
T
he sports section of the 1908 Ravelings was sports factories—except for Chicago, Michigan and dedicated to “The Prince of Monmouth Colthe military academies. lege Athletics,” Walter Wilson McMillan, The 1904 season (3-3-3) was only a warmcaptain of the championship football teams of up for the championship seasons of 1905 1905 and 1906, the basketball team of 1905, (10-1) and 1906 (8-0) under Coach Cliff and the baseball teams of 1904, 1905 and Bell—in 1905 losing only to the University 1907. Not bad for a 5-9, 145-pound athlete of Iowa. The 1907 Ravelings reported the from Biggsville, Ill. 1905 football team was “the smoothest Born in 1882 and known as “Pete,” going, swiftest, most perfectly balanced McMillan was the son western football team outside of the big nines.” By WILLIAM URBAN of a farmer and Civil War veteran. In 1902, Coach Bell wrote of McMillan in the Emeritus Professor he enrolled at Monmouth 1908 Ravelings that “his tackling has been of History College, where he quickly perfect” and his running good. The editor became an all-around man, joining the Eccritean commented that the backfield “for speed and literary society, managing the basketball team and ability outclassed any team we met” and that Walter McMillan playing baseball. He was a math major—under the “the men owe so much to their captain, Walter demanding eye of Alice Winbigler, who tolerated no slouchMcMillan, who proved himself a leader worthy of the team.” es. In 1907, he played the minor role of Shylock’s clown Only one team scored against the splendid 1906 defense, in The Merchant of Venice. Otherwise, athletics and the and that in the closing minutes on a blocked kick. ultra-secret Phi Kappa Pi fraternity allowed him little time McMillan played baseball five seasons, being captain in for the oratorical, theatrical and musical events that were 1904 and being moved from third base to pitcher in 1907. important for so many students. He was left guard at basketball 1903-06, with a team record The 1903 football seasson started off against national of 26-19. Following graduation, he played professional basepowerhouse University of Chicago, coached by the legendball for a short time—but in an era when salaries were low ary Amos Alonzo Stagg. Undoubtedly, the “Red and White” and owners overbearing, it was not an attractive career. In expected something like the 24-0 defeat of 1902, but came 1908, he entered Rush Medical College in Chicago, but did home on the wrong side of 108-0! There was quite a rebound not graduate. that season, however, with Monmouth finishing 5-4-1. “Pete” In 1910, McMillan married Mary Ethel Sensemen (class played left halfback on the single-wing formation, everyone of 1907 and editor of the Ravelings), then teaching school in playing both offense and defense, with the captain calling all Alexis, Ill. The event was front page news: the headline of the signals. the Monmouth Review read, “Claims Bride at Home WedFootball was rough before the 1906 reforms that alding. Ceremony Simple but Impressive.” lowed the forward pass, and serious injuries were common. Presided over by the minister of the First Presbyterian Opponents were a mixture of high school teams, colleges, Church, with the assistance of President T.H. McMichael, community squads and major universities. High school stuthe ceremony included 75 guests from Illinois, Kansas, dents were often older and more accustomed to hard labor, Oklahoma, Ohio and Canada. They were crowded into the colleges were all very small, and universities were not yet parlor of the bride’s parents’ Monmouth residence, decorat-
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MONMOUTH COLLEGE MAGAZINE
