- Frank Steketee
] Steketee also threw a touchdown pass to end Robert Dunne from Ohio State’s 12-yard line in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring. [cite news|title=Michigan Downs Ohio State by 14 to 0 Score|publisher=
Syracuse Herald |1918-12-01|accessdate=2007-12-12]In addition to being Michigan’s only All-American in 1918, Steketee was also the only member of Michigan’s undefeated 1918 team to receive a “gold football” from Coach Fielding Yost. He was the first player in school history to be named an All-American in his freshman year. The freshman rule had been relaxed in 1918 because of
World War I .The 1920 season
Steketee served in the Naval Reserve in 1919 and missed the 1919 season. Without Steketee in the lineup, the Wolverines record dropped to 3-4 in 1919, as they gave up 102 points – 96 points more than they had allowed in 1918.
In July 1920, the
New York Times reported on Steketee's return, noting that Michigan supporters were “greatly rejoiced by the announcement from the office of the Registrar of the University that Frank Steketee, the famous 1918 All-American fullback, will be eligible for the 1920 eleven.” The paper also opined that, had Steketee been eligible in 1919, “the season’s long succession of defeats might have been averted.” [cite news|title=Steketee Eligible at Michigan|publisher=The New York Times |date=1920-07-04|accessdate=2007-12-12]As the season got underway, newspapers asked the question: “Is Michigan Coming Back?”cite news|title=Is Michigan Coming Back?|publisher=
Iowa City Press-Citizen |date=1920-10-20|accessdate=2007-12-12] One wire service account noted: "Frank Steketee, a member of the 1918 team, and who was given the position of fullback on Walter Camp’s All-American eleven, will be back on the line-plunging job this year. Steketee is as good a booter as they come, and he promises to be one of the national gridiron stars again this year."With Steketee back in the lineup, the Wolverines improved to 5-2 in 1920, outscoring opponents 121-21.
In the 1920 Illinois game, Michigan lost 7-6, as a 50-yard place kick by Steketee with a few minutes left missed "by a few inches." [cite news|title=Illinois Ready for Wolverines|publisher=
Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune |date=1921-10-29|accessdate=2007-12-12]The season’s other loss came to Ohio State, 14-7. However, an Ohio newspaper account noted that, despite the loss, “Steketee was the offensive star for the Wolverines, his 26-yard gain around right end in the first quarter being the most spectacular run of the game.” [cite news|title=Michigan Tumbles Before Strong Ohio State|publisher=
The Lima News |date=1920-11-07|accessdate=2007-12-12] Another account reported: “Several spectacular gains by Steketee for Michigan featured the third period.” [cite news|title=Ohio Nearer to ‘Big Ten’ Championship: Defeats Michigan 14 to 7 in Bitterly Fought Game; Use Aerial Attack|publisher=Syracuse Herald |date=1920-11-07|accessdate=2007-12-12]Though no Wolverine player made the All-American team in 1920, Steketee was selected as first-team All “Big Ten” by Chicago experts. [cite news|title=All ‘Big Ten’ Eleven Picked by ‘Chi’ Experts|publisher=
Iowa City Press-Citizen |date=1920-11-27|accessdate=2007-12-12]1921 season
In 1921, the Wolverines improved to a 5-1-1 record and outscored their opponents 187-21.
Pre-season accounts noted: "In Frank Steketee, Michigan has one of the best distance punters in the conference." [cite news|title=Eight Out of Ten Conference Teams Have Good Punters|publisher=Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune (Iowa)|date=1921-09-21|accessdate=2007-12-12]
After losing to Ohio State, 14-0, Michigan rebounded the following week to defeat Illinois, 3-0, on a “placement kick” by Steketee.
The New York Times reported that Steketee was “the outstanding figure of the Michigan offense.” cite news|title=Michigan Defeats Illinois by 3 to 0: Fifteen-Yard Placement Kick by Steketee Decides Hard-Fought Gridiron Battle|publisher=The New York Times |date=1921-10-30|accessdate=2007-12-12] Steketee scored the game’s only points on a kick from the 15-yard line near the end of the first half. [cite news|title=Illini Loser of Great Grid Game with Michigan: Frank Steketee’s Place Kick Won Hard Fought Contest in Second Quarter|publisher=Waterloo Times-Tribune|date=1921-10-31|accessdate=2007-12-12] Later in the game, Steketee “broke up the match” when he intercepted a long pass, and later “broke through and blocked Anderson’s attempted place kick.”Steketee’s final game in a Michigan uniform came against rival Minnesota in the battle for the
Little Brown Jug . Michigan beat Minnesota 38-0, as Steketee scored a touchdown after Michigan’s Frank Cappon fumbled the ball at the Minnesota four-yard line, the ball rolled across the goal-line and Steketee pounced on it. cite news|title=Gophers Lost to Michigan: Minnesota Was Completely Outplayed by Coach Williams’ Men|publisher=Waterloo Times Tribune|date=1921-11-20|accessdate=2007-12-12] Steketee also had a long run in the fourth quarter to set up Michigan’s final score.Multi-sport star
Steketee was also a letter winner for the Wolverines’
hockey , swim andgolf teams. [cite news|title=The Insider Says: Frank Steketee, Michigan’s great kicker, is also a speed swimmer|publisher=Iowa City Press-Citizen|date=1921-01-17|accessdate=2007-12-12] His grandson,Michigan Court of Appeals Judge David H. Sawyer, said: “He was one of these athletes who did everything. They say he was an accomplished gymnast, too, but they didn’t havegymnastics at Michigan back then.”Bernard Kirk's tragic death
In December 1922, Steketee was a pall-bearer along with
Harry Kipke , Paul Goebel and other Michigan teammates, at the funeral of Bernard Kirk inYpsilanti, Michigan . Kirk had been Michigan’s starting left end and died in an automobile accident on December 17, 1922. The funeral was also attended byMichigan Governor Alex Groesbeck , U-M President Burton, and the coaches of the Western Conference football teams. [cite news|title=Team Mates Sob at Kirk Funeral: Eight Michigan Stars Carry Body to Grave|publisher=Decatur Review|date=1922-12-27|accessdate=2007-12-12]Later life
Steketee served as a medic in
World War II . He worked as an account examiner for the finance division of Michigan Department of Highways from January 1945 until his death in December 1951.On the day after Christmas in 1951, Steketee was stricken by a heart attack and collapsed at his desk in the state highway department headquarters. [cite news|title=Frank Steketee Dies|publisher=Corpus Christi Times|date=1951-12-27|accessdate=2007-12-12] cite news|title=Frank Steketee, Former U. of M. All-American Fullack, Dies at 51|publisher=The Herald Press (St. Joseph, Michigan)|date=1951-12-27|accessdate=2007-12-12] He died three hours later at Lansing's St. Lawrence Hospital. He was survived by his widow, Emma, and a son Frank W. Steketee, Jr.
Steketee was inducted into the the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. [cite web|url=http://www.grshof.com/inductees.htm|title=Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame|accessdate=2007-12-12]
ee also
*
1918 Michigan Wolverines football team Notes
External links
* [http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fballam/aasteket.htm Bentley Library Profile of Steketee]
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