{{Short description|American football player and coach (1899–1961)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Milton Olander | image = Milton M. Olander.png | alt = | caption = Olander, 1922 | birth_date = {{Birth date|1899|1|25}} | birth_place = [[Rockford, Illinois]], U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|1961|12|30|1899|1|25}} | death_place = [[Toledo, Ohio]], U.S. | alma_mater = | player_years1 = 1918–1921 | player_team1 = [[Illinois Fighting Illini football|Illinois]] | player_positions = [[Tackle (gridiron football position)|Tackle]] | coach_years1 = 1922–1923 | coach_team1 = [[Western Michigan Broncos football|Western State Nromal]] | coach_years2 = 1924–1934 | coach_team2 = [[Illinois Fighting Illini football|Illinois]] (assistant) | overall_record = 12–1–1 | bowl_record = | tournament_record = | championships = | awards = | coaching_records = }} '''Milton Martin Olander''' (January 25, 1899 – December 30, 1961) was an American [[college football]] player and coach.
Olander was born in 1899 at [[Rockford, Illinois]]. His father, Frank Olander, emigrated from Sweden in 1881 and became a saloon keeper in Rockford. His mother, Selma Olander, emigrated from Sweden in 1888. He had two older brothers, Carl (born May 1895) and Clarence (born April 1897).<ref>Census entry for Frank Olander and family. [[Ancestry.com]]. [[1900 United States census]] [database on-line]. Census Place: Rockford Ward 6, Winnebago, Illinois; Roll: T623_356; Page: 22B; Enumeration District: 142.</ref>
Olander graduated from [[Rockford Central High School|Rockford High School]], where he played on the football, basketball and track teams. He also served as captain of the football team for two years.<ref name=Return/> He next enrolled at the [[University of Illinois]] where he played at the [[Tackle (gridiron football position)|tackle]] position for [[Robert Zuppke]]'s [[Illinois Fighting Illini football|Fighting Illini football]] teams from 1918 to 1921. The University of Illinois yearbook noted: "'Milt' was the leading factor in the Illini line. His steadiness characterized him as Zup's most heady player. This was his fourth season."<ref>{{cite book|title=The Illio (Univ. of Illinois yearbook)|year=1923|page=335}}</ref> [[File:Milton Olander 1923.png|left|thumb|130px|Olander from the 1924 ''Brown and Gold'']] At the time of the [[1920 United States census]], Olander was working as a laborer in a warehouse and living in Rockford with his mother, his older brother Clarence, and his younger sister Alice.<ref>Census entry for Selma S. Olander and family. [[Ancestry.com]]. [[1920 United States census]] [database on-line]. Census Place: Rockford Ward 8, Winnebago, Illinois; Roll: T625_417; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 218; Image: 1072.</ref>
After graduating from Illinois, Olander served as the head football coach at the Western State Normal School (now known as [[Western Michigan University]]) in 1922 and 1923. In his first year as a head coach, he led Western State to a perfect 6–0 record as his team outscored its opponents 160 to 0.<ref name=CFDW>{{cite web|title=Milton Olander Records by Year|publisher=College Football Data Warehouse|url=http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_year_by_year.php?coachid=1782|access-date=2011-04-23|archive-date=2012-04-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406214243/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_year_by_year.php?coachid=1782|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In April 1924, Olander signed a contract to return to the University of Illinois as the freshman football coach.<ref name=Return>{{cite news|title="Milt" Olander Has Returned As Coach: One of Best-Liked Football Stars in Illini Annals|newspaper=Providence County Times|date=September 12, 1924|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KcxkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RXYNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2335,2692768&dq=milt-olander&hl=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Milton Olander to Succeed Ingwerson|newspaper=[[Decatur Daily Review|Decatur Review]]|date=April 8, 1924}}</ref> He served as an assistant football coach at Illinois through the 1934 season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Talking It Over|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune|Chicago Daily Tribune]]|date=December 24, 1934|author=Arch Ward|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/439937512.html?dids=439937512:439937512&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+24%2C+1934&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Talking+It+Over&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106123437/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/439937512.html?dids=439937512:439937512&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+24,+1934&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Talking+It+Over&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 6, 2012}}("Life Is just a constant round of testimonial dinners for Milt Olander of Illinois who will leave the coaching stat next month")</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=OLANDER WILL QUIT COACHING FOR BUSINESS|newspaper=Chicago Daily Tribune|date=October 6, 1934|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/439766262.html?dids=439766262:439766262&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+06%2C+1934&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=OLANDER+WILL+QUIT+COACHING+FOR+BUSINESS&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106123449/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/439766262.html?dids=439766262:439766262&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+06,+1934&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=OLANDER+WILL+QUIT+COACHING+FOR+BUSINESS&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 6, 2012}}</ref>
At the time of the [[1930 United States census]], Olander was living in [[Champaign, Illinois]] with his wife Mary S. Olander, daughter Suzanne Olander, and son Milton M. Olander Jr. His occupation at that time was listed as an assistant coach for a university.<ref>Census entry for Milton Olander and family. [[Ancestry.com]]. [[1930 United States census]] [database on-line]. Census Place: Champaign, Champaign, Illinois; Roll: 409; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 20; Image: 938.0.</ref>
In 1940, Olander was appointed as the head of the Athletic Board of Control at the University of Illinois.<ref>{{cite news|title=Milt Olander Heads Illinois Athletic Board|newspaper=Chicago Daily Tribune|date=April 3, 1940|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/466421842.html?dids=466421842:466421842&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Apr+03%2C+1940&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Milt+Olander+Heads+Illinois+Athletic+Board&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106123503/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/466421842.html?dids=466421842:466421842&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Apr+03,+1940&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Milt+Olander+Heads+Illinois+Athletic+Board&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 6, 2012}}</ref>
Olander lived in [[Sylvania, Ohio]] in his later years. He worked as the director of industrial relations for [[Owens-Illinois|Owens-Illinois Glass Co.]] at [[Toledo, Ohio]].<ref name=Labor>{{cite news|title=Olander Offered Post In Labor Department: O-I Official Ponders Bid To Become Durkin's Assistant|newspaper=[[Toledo Blade]]|date=July 10, 1953|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mOlOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eQAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5885,3336050&dq=milton-olander&hl=en}}</ref> In 1953, he was offered a position as an Assistant [[United States Secretary of Labor|Secretary of Labor]] in the administration of [[President of the United States|President]] [[Dwight Eisenhower]].<ref name=Labor/><ref>{{cite news|title=M. M. Olander Slated To Become Assistant Secretary of Labor: Owens-Illinois Executive to Get Post Traditionally Allotted to an AFL Member|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=April 22, 1953|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/81236394.html?dids=81236394:81236394&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Apr+22%2C+1953&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=M.+M.+Olander+Slated+To+Become+Assistant+Secretary+of+Labor&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106123515/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/access/81236394.html?dids=81236394:81236394&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Apr+22,+1953&author=&pub=Wall+Street+Journal&desc=M.+M.+Olander+Slated+To+Become+Assistant+Secretary+of+Labor&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 6, 2012}}</ref>
Olander died in December 1961 at Toledo at the age of 62.<ref>{{cite news|title=Olander, Ex-Gridder, Coach, Is Buried|newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|date=January 3, 1962|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1708847082.html?FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Jan+03%2C+1962&author=&pub=The+Sun+(1837-1985)&desc=Olander%2C+Ex-Gridder%2C+Coach%2C+Is+Buried&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106123527/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1708847082.html?FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Jan+03,+1962&author=&pub=The+Sun+(1837-1985)&desc=Olander,+Ex-Gridder,+Coach,+Is+Buried&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 6, 2012}}</ref><ref>Death certificate for Milton M. Olander, born 1899. Ancestry.com and Ohio Department of Health. Ohio Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007 [database on-line]. Certificate: 88003; Volume: 16739.</ref>
Olander was one of the original members of the parks commission in Sylvania, Ohio. In recognition of his efforts, the city's park system is known as The Olander Park System. The city's largest park, Olander Park, and its lake, Lake Olander, are also named after him.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Olander Park System|publisher=Olander Park|url=http://www.olanderpark.com/pages/aboutus.htm|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120203154142/http://www.olanderpark.com/pages/aboutus.htm|archivedate=2012-02-03}}</ref>
==Head coaching record== {{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subhead | name = [[Western Michigan Broncos football|Western State Normal Hilltoppers]] | conf = Independent | startyear = 1922 | endyear = 1923 }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = [[1922 college football season|1922]] | name = [[1922 Western State Normal Hilltoppers football team|Western State Normal]] | overall = 6–0 | conference = | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Entry | championship = | year = [[1923 college football season|1923]] | name = [[1923 Western State Normal Hilltoppers football team|Western State Normal]] | overall = 6–1–1 | conference = | confstanding = | bowlname = | bowloutcome = | bcsbowl = | ranking = no | ranking2 = no }} {{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal | name = Western State Normal | overall = 12–1–1 | confrecord = }} {{CFB Yearly Record End | overall = 12–1–1 | bowls = no | poll = no | polltype = | legend = no }}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Find a Grave}}
{{Western Michigan Broncos football coach navbox}} {{1919 Illinois Fighting Illini football navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olander, Milton}} [[Category:1899 births]] [[Category:1961 deaths]] [[Category:American football tackles]] [[Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football coaches]] [[Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football players]] [[Category:Western Michigan Broncos football coaches]] [[Category:Players of American football from Rockford, Illinois]] [[Category:Players of American football from Lucas County, Ohio]] [[Category:People from Sylvania, Ohio]] [[Category:Coaches of American football from Illinois]] [[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]