- Douglas R. Mills
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Douglas R. "Gaga" Mills Sport(s) Basketball Current position Title Head coach (Deceased) Team University of Illinois Conference Big Ten Biographical details Born April 9, 1907 Place of birth Elgin, Illinois, USA Died August 12, 1993 (aged 85) Place of death Urbana, Illinois Playing career 1927-1930 University of Illinois Coaching career (HC unless noted) 1931–1935
1936-1947Joliet Township High School
University of IllinoisHead coaching record Overall 151-66 Accomplishments and honors Championships IHSA Championship (1924), (1925), player
Big Ten Conference Champions (1937, 1942, 1943)Awards 100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament (2007) Douglas R. Mills (April 9, 1907 - August 12, 1993) a native of Elgin, Illinois, was a high school and college basketball player and coach in the state of Illinois. During high school, Mills was the first player in the state to lead his team to back-to-back titles in 1924 and 1925. He totaled 32 points in four state tournament games for Elgin High School during an era of low-scoring play. Mills played for the Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team from 1927-1930[1] followed by a five year coaching stint at Joliet Township High School. It was at Joliet where he led his team to the state tournament in 1935. He returned to the U of I as head men's basketball coach between 1936 and 1947. It was during this time where he coached the famous "Whiz Kids" and later served as the Fighting Illini's athletic director. Mills died in 1993.
While coaching at Illinois, Mills compiled a record of 151 wins and 66 losses, winning three conference titles during his tenure. Mills served as Athletic Director for the University of Illinois from 1941 to 1966, responsible for football coaches Ray Eliot and Pete Elliott and basketball coach Harry Combes. In 2007, the Illinois High School Association named Mills one of the 100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament.[2]
Contents
High school records
School Season Record Postseason Joliet Township HS 1930-31 12-10 Joliet Township HS 1931-32 16-3 Joliet Township HS 1932-33 10-9 Joliet Township HS 1933-34 18-4 District Champions Joliet Township HS 1934-35 12-10 State Quarterfinalist Coaching totals 1930-35 68-36 Collegiate records
Season Team Season Record Conf. Record Place 1936-37 Illinois 14-4 10-2 T-1st 1937-38 Illinois 9-9 4-8 T-8th 1938-39 Illinois 14-5 8-4 3rd 1939-40 Illinois 14-6 7-5 T-4th 1940-41 Illinois 13-7 7-5 T-3rd 1941-42 Illinois 18-5 13-2 1st 1942-43 Illinois 17-1 12-0 1st 1943-44 Illinois 11-9 5-7 6th 1944-45 Illinois 13-7 7-5 3rd 1945-46 Illinois 14-7 7-5 T-5th 1946-47 Illinois 14-6 8-4 T-2nd Total Illinois 151-66 88-47 References
External links
Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball head coaches Elwood Brown (1905–1906) • F. L. Pinckney (1906–1907) • Fletcher Lane (1907–1908) • Herb V. Juul (1908–1910) • T. E. Thompson (1910–1912) • Ralph Jones (1912–1920) • Frank Winters (1920–1922) • J. Craig Ruby (1922–1936) • Douglas R. Mills (1936–1947) • Harry Combes (1947–1967) • Harv Schmidt (1967–1974) • Gene Bartow (1974–1975) • Lou Henson (1975–1996) • Lon Kruger (1996–2000) • Bill Self (2000–2003) • Bruce Weber (2003– )
Categories:- 1983 deaths
- American basketball coaches
- American basketball players
- Basketball players from Illinois
- High school basketball coaches in the United States
- Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball coaches
- Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball players
- 1907 births
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