Walter E. Marks
Encyclopedia
Walter E. "Wally" Marks, PhD (February 16, 1905 – November 24, 1992) was an American football
, basketball
, and baseball
player, coach, college athletics administrator, sports official, and university instructor. Marks played football, basketball, and baseball at the University of Chicago
. Between 1927 and 1955 he served as the head football, basketball, baseball, and golf
coach at Indiana State University
, with hiatuses from 1930 to 1931, when he earned a master's degree at Indiana University, and from 1942 to 1945, when he served United States Army Air Forces
during World War II
. Marks was best known for his coaching of football and baseball, though his tenure as basketball coach was highlighted by the Sycamores' run to the semifinals of the 1936 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Marks also served as the Indiana State's athletic director
. In total, Marks spent 44 years at Indiana State. rising from instructor to the Dean of the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, now known as the College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services. He held two degrees from the University of Chicago, a BA and a PhD, and three from Indiana University, an MA, a doctorate in physical education, and a doctorate of education. At his retirement in 1971, Indiana State's home track and field
venue was dedicated in his honor. Marks reached the rank of major
in the United States Army Air Forces
and spent 44 months in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
.
, Marks was an outstanding athlete. A three-sport performer, he earned a total of eight varsity letters in football, basketball, and baseball, was an ROTC Cadet Major, and held membership in several honorary fraternities. He played varsity football for three years under the Maroons' coach, Amos Alonzo Stagg
. As a sophormore, he played fullback
for Chicago's last Big Ten Conference
football championship team in 1924. He was a regular halfback
on the 1925 and 1926 Maroon teams and captained the 1926 team. For two years, he was a regular starting guard on the Maroons' basketball team. As a pitcher
and an outfielder
, he played on Chicago's baseball team for thee years and had a .399 batting average as a sophomore. Marks also played professional baseball. While pitching for Terre Haute of the Three-I League, he defeated Carl Hubbell
of Decatur in a 17-inning masterpiece.
official for twenty years with tenures of eight years in basketball and 16 years in football. He officiated the 1960 Rose Bowl
and retired at the close of the 1964 football season. In 1954, and again in 1960, he was named by the Big Ten and the United States Department of Defense
as a member of an instructional staff presenting football officiating clinics for United States military personnel in Germany.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player, coach, college athletics administrator, sports official, and university instructor. Marks played football, basketball, and baseball at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. Between 1927 and 1955 he served as the head football, basketball, baseball, and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
coach at Indiana State University
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
, with hiatuses from 1930 to 1931, when he earned a master's degree at Indiana University, and from 1942 to 1945, when he served United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Marks was best known for his coaching of football and baseball, though his tenure as basketball coach was highlighted by the Sycamores' run to the semifinals of the 1936 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Marks also served as the Indiana State's athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
. In total, Marks spent 44 years at Indiana State. rising from instructor to the Dean of the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, now known as the College of Nursing, Health, and Human Services. He held two degrees from the University of Chicago, a BA and a PhD, and three from Indiana University, an MA, a doctorate in physical education, and a doctorate of education. At his retirement in 1971, Indiana State's home track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
venue was dedicated in his honor. Marks reached the rank of major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
in the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
and spent 44 months in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Mediterranean Theater of Operations
The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army was originally called North African Theater of Operations and is an American term for the conflict that took place between the Allies and Axis Powers in North Africa and Italy during World War II...
.
Playing career
At the University of ChicagoUniversity of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, Marks was an outstanding athlete. A three-sport performer, he earned a total of eight varsity letters in football, basketball, and baseball, was an ROTC Cadet Major, and held membership in several honorary fraternities. He played varsity football for three years under the Maroons' coach, Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg
Amos Alonzo Stagg was an American athlete and pioneering college coach in multiple sports, primarily American football...
. As a sophormore, he played fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
for Chicago's last Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
football championship team in 1924. He was a regular 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...
on the 1925 and 1926 Maroon teams and captained the 1926 team. For two years, he was a regular starting guard on the Maroons' basketball team. As a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
and an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
, he played on Chicago's baseball team for thee years and had a .399 batting average as a sophomore. Marks also played professional baseball. While pitching for Terre Haute of the Three-I League, he defeated Carl Hubbell
Carl Hubbell
Carl Owen Hubbell was an American baseball player. He was a member of the New York Giants in the National League from 1928 to 1943, and remained on the Giants' payroll for the rest of his life, long after their move to San Francisco.Twice voted the National League's Most Valuable Player, Hubbell...
of Decatur in a 17-inning masterpiece.
Football
Marked finished his career as the leader in wins (he currently stands at #2). His 1933 team finished at 7–1 record. This record still ranks as the second best in the school's history; trailing Coach Jerry Huntsman's 1968 team (9–1). His homecoming record was 8–5.Basketball
He finished his career as the leader in wins (he currently stands at #6). Led the Sycamores to a semifinal finish in the 1936 U.S. Olympic Trials. His 1929–30 team finished at 16–2; it still ranks among the finest season performances of any ISU team with its .888 winning percentage.Baseball
He finished his career as the leader in wins (he currently stands at #4). He led the Sycamores to Indiana Collegiate Conference titles in 1930, 1946, 1947 and 1949.Officiating and military athletics instruction
Marks was a Big Ten ConferenceBig Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
official for twenty years with tenures of eight years in basketball and 16 years in football. He officiated the 1960 Rose Bowl
1960 Rose Bowl
The 1960 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1960 at the end of the 1959 college football season. It was the 46th Rose Bowl Game. This was the first Rose Bowl appearance by the Huskies since the 1944 Rose Bowl and the first appearance by the Badgers since the 1953 Rose...
and retired at the close of the 1964 football season. In 1954, and again in 1960, he was named by the Big Ten and the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
as a member of an instructional staff presenting football officiating clinics for United States military personnel in Germany.
Football
Basketball
Baseball
| Overall | Conference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | W | L | T | Pct | W | L | T | Pct | Postseason |
| 1929 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
5 | 4 | 1 | .550 | |||||
| 1930 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
7 | 1 | 0 | .875 | Indiana Collegiate Conference Champions | ||||
| 1931 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
6 | 2 | 0 | .750 | |||||
| 1934 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | |||||
| 1935 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | |||||
| 1936 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | |||||
| 1937 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
1 | 7 | 0 | .125 | |||||
| 1942 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
5 | 3 | 0 | .625 | |||||
| 1946 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | Indiana Collegiate Conference Champions | ||||
| 1947 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
11 | 2 | 0 | .846 | Indiana Collegiate Conference Champions | ||||
| 1949 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | Indiana Collegiate Conference Champions | ||||
| 1950 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
10 | 5 | 0 | .667 | |||||
| 1951 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | |||||
| 1952 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
8 | 5 | 0 | .615 | |||||
| 1953 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
3 | 9 | 0 | .250 | |||||
| 1954 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
6 | 10 | 0 | .600 | |||||
| 1955 | Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores baseball The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I men's baseball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They are members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1995. Their first season was 1896.... |
5 | 6 | 0 | .455 | |||||
| Overall Totals | 108 | 81 | 2 | .571 | ||||||