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Robert Smiley was an outstanding basketball and baseball player for Monmouth College who went on to a distinguished coaching career at his alma mater.
The 1926 yearbook proclaimed him “the hero of the season” as he led the Scots to a 10-9 record in basketball and earned All-Midwest Conference honors. More importantly, Smiley was named Most Valuable Player of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference by the Peoria Journal Transcript newspaper. Nearly every sportswriter in Illinois named him to their respective all-state teams.
Described as “a whiz at second base,” Smiley led a strong aggregation of Scots ballplayers to a 12-1 baseball record in 1925 and Little 19 Conference and MWC titles. Again he was selected first team All-MWC at his position.
Smiley coached the Scots in basketball from 1929-35 and the baseball team from 1930-35, posting career records over .500 in both sports.
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