Biography

Miller was born in Detroit, Michigan

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...

 in 1886. His father, James G. Miller, was the secretary of the Union Depot Railroad in Detroit. Miller attended Detroit Central High School where he won varsity letters in football, baseball and basketball. The Detroit Free Press called him "one of the best known athletes Detroit ever has turned out." Miller was considered one of Detroit's best basketball players on defense and played end for Detroit Central's football team. The Free Press in 1907 described his high school football career as follows:

"Joy Miller was one of the best ends that ever played on the Central High school; valuable on both attack and defense, a sure tackler and powerful in the interference. Plays sent around his end usually went to pieces for little or no gain, and opposing backs have reason to remember the vigor and certainty of his tackling."

In addition to playing for Detroit Central High School, Miller also played football and basketball for the Detroit Athletic Club

Detroit Athletic Club

The Detroit Athletic Club , is a private social club and athletic club located in the heart of Detroit's theater, sports, and entertainment district. The clubhouse was designed by Albert Kahn and inspired by Rome's Palazzo Farnese. It maintains reciprocal agreements for their members at other...

 teams.

Miller enrolled at the University of Michigan

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...

 in 1906 but was not eligible to play varsity football until his sophomore year in 1907. He played in several games for the 1907 Michigan Wolverines football team

1907 Michigan Wolverines football team

The 1907 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1907 college football season. The team's head football coach was Fielding H. Yost. The Wolverines played their home games at Ferry Field...

, including the rivalry game against the University of Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...

. He started three games for the 1907 team, two at the left end position and one at the left halfback

Halfback (American football)

A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...

 position. Despite having played a substantial part in several games, team captain Paul Magoffin

Paul Magoffin

Paul Parker "Maggie" Magoffin was an American football player. He played left halfback for Fielding H. Yost's University of Michigan Wolverines football teams of 1904, 1905, 1906 and 1907, and was captain of the 1907 team...

 did award Miller a varsity "M"

Varsity letter

A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...

 in 1907. Miller elected not to play football in 1908, but he returned to the football team in 1909

1909 Michigan Wolverines football team

The 1909 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1909 college football season. The team's head coach was Fielding H. Yost...

.

In 1909, Miller started all seven games for the Wolverines, six at right end and one at quarterback

Quarterback

Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

. He played the first seven games at the end position and was switched to quarterback without notice to quarterback for the season's final game against the University of Minnesota

University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...

. According to the Detroit Free Press, "Miller won a high place in the admiration of his teammates through his stellar work at quarterback in the Minnesota game."

At the end of the 1909 season, Miller was elected by his teammate to be captain of the 1910 team

1910 Michigan Wolverines football team

The 1910 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1910 college football season. The team's head coach was Fielding H. Yost. The Wolverines played their home games at Ferry Field.-Schedule:...

. However, in December 1910, Miller became embroiled in a scandal that attracted national newspaper coverage when it was discovered that he had played the 1909 football season without registering for or attending classes during the fall semester. The Board in Control of Athletics stripped him of his selection as team captain and his varsity letter in December 1909. Following an investigation and resolution of the University of Michigan Student Council, the University of Michigan Engineering Faculty expelled Joy from the university in January 1910. Joy disappeared for several months during and after the investigation and expulsion and was discovered in March 1910 wandering in western Canada. Joy claimed to have lost all memory of his identity and past events.

In a draft registration card completed by Miller in September 1918, he indicated that he was a resident of Highland Park, Michigan

Highland Park, Michigan

- Geography :According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 16,746 people, 6,199 households, and 3,521 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,622.9 per square mile . There were 7,249...

, working in the moving and storage business. At the time of the 1920 Census, James J. Miller, age 33, was a resident of Highland Park, Michigan, along with his wife Edith, son Henry L., and daughter Janet. He listed his occupation as vice president of a storage company. At the time of the 1930 Census, James J. Miller, age 43, was a resident of Grosse Ile, Michigan, along with his wife Edith, son Leonard, and daughter Janet. He listed his occupation as vice president of a warehouse.