Athletes Honor Muddy

Hillsdale Collegian
October 12, 2006

Athletes honor ‘Muddy’

By Angeline Riesterer
Editor in Chief

Student-athletes traded jerseys and helmets for skirts and ties when they gathered Sunday with alumni, faculty and staff to honor the life of Hillsdale College’s legendary football coach, Frank “Muddy” Waters.

Some 500 people attended the memorial service in Jesse Philips Arena to pay respect to an extraordinary man—a man who knew half the attendees personally and whose legend inspires the other, younger half now practicing and competing on the field named after him.

“Muddy’s bones are buried in East Lansing, but his heart and soul will remain at Hillsdale,” said Bill Baldwin, ’63, who played guard and linebacker on the Charger football team during four of the 20 years Waters coached at Hillsdale.

During the memorial service, President Larry Arnn spoke of Waters’ enduring legacy at Hillsdale. His remarks were followed by those of George Guerre, a former Michigan State University running back who played alongside Waters, who was a “darn good fullback.”

Guerre shared college memories of Waters and spoke of his 60-year-old friendship with Waters. Guerre described Waters as a genuine gentleman, a man who “conforms to a high standard of correct behavior,” he said.

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