Murray State University Athletics
Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1982
John “Man O’War” Miller – Basketball & Football 1927-1929, Assistant Football Coach 1931-1942, and Basketball Coach 1942-1947 (Deceased)
Best known as coach for several years at Murray State, Miller also was a versatile athlete in his playing days. He earned two letters in football, serving as the Racers’ team captain in 1928. An offensive end, he scored three touchdowns for MSU’s 1928 squad. That team, coached by Carlisle Cutchin, went 9-0-1 and won the regular season championship in the Mississippi Valley Conference. Miller helped the ’28 Racers roll up 420 points in 10 games, making them the highest scoring team in Murray State history.
Miller’s best sport, however, was basketball. He played center for the Racers for two campaigns, the 1927-28 and 1928-29 seasons. He was an ALL-Mississippi Valley Conference selection after the ’27-28 season, in which he was second on the Racers in scoring with an 8.9 average.
Nicknamed “Man O’ War” in his playing days, Miller led Murray State in scoring in 1928-29, averaging 10.2 points per game. His career high was 26 points against Kentucky Wesleyan in 1929.
After receiving his Master’s degree from George Peabody College in Nashville, Miller returned to Murray State as an assistant coach. He was the freshmen coach for several sports, including football and basketball, from 1931 to 1942.
Miller took over as head basketball coach in 1942. His team, the d’42-43 unit, was his most successful. That team posted a 22-4 mark and placed fourth in the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball (NAIB) Tournament in Kansas City that year.
Overall, Miller’s varsity teams compiled a 64-50 record. He stepped down as coach after the first four games of the 1947-48 season.
A native of Morley, Missouri now resides in Frankfort, Ky. (Murray Ledger & Times, September 13, 1982)
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