MSU Athletics Hall of Fame
BILL DOUGLASS
Football and Track, 1963-67
Inducted February 28, 1987
A member of the long line of athletes from the Douglass family of Mountain Grove to excel in athletics both at MSU and elsewhere, Bill Douglass played football and participated in track for the Bears between 1963 and 1967 and lettered four seasons in each sport. He ran the hurdles for the track teams of Coach Aldo Sebben and was a track co-captain and selected the track teams outstanding upperclass performer in his senior season. He competed in the high, low and intermediate hurdles, won two conference titles and finished among the leagues top three on half a dozen other occasions in MIAA indoor and outdoor competition. Douglass was a regular in football in a most successful grid era directed by coacher Orville Pottenger and Jim Mentis. The 1963 Bears of Coach Pottenger were 9-0 in the regular season, won the MIAA championship and played in the Mineral Water Bowl. The Bears were third and second in the conference the next two seasons and came back in 1966 to go undefeated to another league championship while finishing 7-4 overall. When Douglass left, he owned the MSU records for most pass receptions in a season (35), most receptions in a career (62). Most yards receiving in a career (880) and most touchdown receptions in a career (11). He was picked to the all-MIAA second team as a senior. Douglass was selected to receive the Virgil Cheek Athletic Achievement Award upon his graduation from MSU in 1967.
