Teammates, family and friends are remembering two of the greatest multi-sport stars in Galesburg Silver Streaks history, both of whom went on to stellar athletic careers at Big Ten Conference schools before embarking on successful professional journeys in banking and education.
Albert Kimbrough and Doug Mills, former Streaks teammates from the Galesburg Classes of 1957 and 58, respectively, died within days of each other earlier this month.
They were both inaugural inductees into the Galesburg Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989.
Kimbrough went on to Northwestern University where he and his twin brother Elbert starred for the Wildcats football program. Mills, meanwhile, earned letters in football, basketball and baseball for the University of Illinois.
“I would say they are quintessential student athletes,” said Barry Swanson, a former Galesburg basketball standout in the 1960s who went on to a longtime coaching, teaching and administrative career in education. “Not only were they really good athletes, but they were really good students and really good people.
“They really set a tone for the athletic program, the city and the young of Galesburg to look up to.”
Albert Kimbrough ‘was good at everything’
Albert Kimbrough died May 21 in Arlington Heights. He was 86.
Jimmie Carr, Class of 1959, was a sophom*ore when the Kimbrough twins were seniors.
“I’ll always remember the toughness of those guys,” Carr said. “They were just men, when we were all boys. They were more mature — they spoke like it, and they acted like it.
“They worked hard, but everything seemed to come so easy to them. A was so relaxed on the basketball court. I learned a lot from him when I was brought up to the varsity as a sophom*ore, but I think we all did. We looked up to the twins. And we admired them from a distance after they left Galesburg.”
“God just touched them and said ‘you’re going to be natural athletes.’ They could do it all — basketball, football, baseball, track … it didn’t make any difference what sport it was. They were good at everything.” — Rodney Bunch on the Kimbrough twins
Rodney Bunch, GHS Class of 1958, described Albert as “just a level, easy going type of individual.”
“Basically, I grew up with A & E,” Bunch said. “You just knew at a young age they were going to be great athletes. But they were also phenomenal individuals. You just knew they were going to do something by the time they got to high school.
“God just touched them and said ‘you’re going to be natural athletes.’ They could do it all — basketball, football, baseball, track … it didn’t make any difference what sport it was. They were good at everything. They would match up with anybody.”
Forming the famous “A&E” tandem with his twin brother Elbert, the Kimbroughs starred in football, basketball and track for the Silver Streaks in the mid 1950s.
They played on two legendary teams — the undefeated Galesburg football team of 1956 and the 1956-57 Streaks basketball team that defeated Rock Island in the famous “stall game” of 1957.
Albert was a halfback and Elbert a fullback for the Streaks.
Obituary: Albert Leo Kimbrough ~ March 24, 1938 – May 21, 2024
How close did Albert and Elbert Kimbrough resemble each other?
“Identical, in so many ways,” Carr said. “John (Thiel) always bragged he could tell A and E apart, and Coach (C.C.) Van Dyke couldn’t. And believe me, there were people who could not tell them apart.”
Al “Nochie” Williams, a fellow Class of 1957 classmate and teammate of Albert Kimbrough, said he’s known A&E “from the time I can remember anything.”
“Of course you never saw one without the other,” Williams said. “As twins normally do, they ran together, and we all played together from a young age. We all lived not too far from Cooke School where we attended grade school, and we’d use their playground to play football and other sports.
“Albert never did like to lose.”
‘He let his ability speak for itself’
Williams was in the starting five with the Kimbroughs for the aforementioned 1957 stall game which saw Galesburg upset the Don Nelson-led and No. 1-ranked Rock Island Rocks 23-21 at Wharton Fieldhouse. Galesburg went on to reach the Elite Eight and post a 23-7 record.
“Actually, Albert and Elbert liked basketball better than they did football, but they did excel in football,” Williams said. “Albert had that determination of always wanting to be better than his opponent.
“Back in high school, Albert was always on the quiet side. Never boisterous. Never bragged. He let his ability speak for itself.”
Once at Northwestern, Albert played halfback on offense and defense and Elbert played end — where he led the Big Ten Conference in receiving one season — and also found himself playing fullback again.
Under Wildcats head football coach Ara Parseghian, the 1958 Northwestern team upset Michigan, featuring star performances by the Kimbrough brothers, along with Ron Burton, Dick Thornton and Irv Cross.
Albert suffered a leg injury that hampered his career but Elbert finished his senior season with all-conference and All-American honors that saw him playing in the East-West Shrine Game, the Hula Bowl and in the College All-Star Game against the NFL champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Elbert went on to a seven-year career in the National Football League.
Albert Kimbrough spent his career as an educator, retiring as an administrator at Evanston High School.
“A set such a great example off the court, and I think he was even more valuable to society than he was on the court or on the field,” Carr said. “He was a heck of a teacher and administrator.”
Kimbrough graduated from Northwestern with a Bachelor of Arts degree in secondary education. According to his obituary, his thirst for knowledge led him to pursue a master’s degree in school administration from the University of Illinois in 1971 and a specialist degree in school administration in 1974. He even delved into the field of Information Technology.
Albert’s passion for education was evident in his 32-year career, which included seven years as a teacher, football and basketball coach, and 25 years as a school administrator at Evanston Township High School. He was a strong advocate for formal education, especially for advanced education.
Albert Kimbrough is survived by his beloved wife, Joyce, and their two daughters, Kellie Mahone of Little Rock, Arkansas, and Kammie Allen of Chicago. His brother, Elbert of Bettendorf, Iowa, and sister, Patricia (Michael) Coleman, Galesburg, Illinois also survive him.
Visitation will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, June 8, at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral Directors and Cremation Service Galesburg Chapel. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. at the chapel.
Doug Mills: ‘A natural athlete’
Douglas Culver Mills of Peoria and Jupiter, Florida, formerly of Galesburg and Champaign, died May 14 at OSF St. Francis Medical Center, Peoria. He was 84.
Mills was an all-state athlete in both football and basketball for the Streaks, and was named a high school All-American in basketball his senior year.He also played baseball and ran track for the Streaks.
“Doug and I went all the way through school together, at Hitchco*ck Junior High School and Galesburg High School,” Bunch said. “And like Albert, Doug was just a natural athletic and an outstanding individual.”
Carr concurred with Bunch, adding, “Doug was an all-around good athlete. He was brought up the right way — his mom was a teacher and his dad was a good athlete, himself. He could do it all.”
Mills was a second-team Parade All-American in basketball in 1958.
A 3-sport star for the Illini
Mills started at the University of Illinois on a football scholarship but eventually switched his scholarship to basketball where he earned two letters for the Illini. His obituary says his favorite basketball memories were playing against Bobby Knight and the NCAA champion Ohio State Buckeyes.
It was on the baseball diamond where Mills found his greatest success in an Illini uniform. He was a two-time all-Big Ten pitcher from 1960-62, compiling an 18-1 record and leading the Illini to the 1962 Big Ten baseball title. He pitched a no-hitter against Wisconsin in 1961 and was named to the second-and third-team all-American honor squads in his final two seasons.
Obituary: Douglas Culver Mills ~ March 31, 1940 – May 14, 2024
Mills still ranks second in Illinois history in career-winning percentage as a pitcher.
During his senior year, Mills rejoined the football team as the starting punter and backup fullback.
“How many guys go on to be a three-sport athlete at the University of Illinois? That’s almost impossible.” — Barry Swanson on Doug Mills
Mills was a three-sport letter winner, earning a total of six Varsity “I” letters in football (1), basketball (2), and baseball (3) for the Illini. In 1962, he was the Dike Eddleman Illinois Athlete of the Year recipient.
“How many guys go on to be a three-sport athlete at the University of Illinois?” Swanson said. “That’s almost impossible.”
Upon graduation, Mills was selected for the United States Pan American team and was the starting pitcher in the opening game against Cuba. He posted two wins in the Games as he and his American teammates captured the silver medal.
Mills graduated from the University of Illinois in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. After spending a few years as a salesman for Mead Johnson & Company, he began his banking career in Chicago with American National Bank and Trust Company in June of 1965. With the help of a small group of investors, Doug seized an opportunity and purchased the controlling interest in Busey First National Bank located in Urbana, and was elected Chairman on March 29, 1971, two days prior to his 31st birthday.
Taking Busey Bank to new heights
Mills is credited with taking Busey from a one-branch bank with $40 million in assets in 1971 to a publicly traded company with operations in several states and over $4 billion in assets when he retired as CEO in 2007.
He and his late wife, Linda, co-founded the Busey-Mills Community Foundation in 1990 to enhance the quality of life in the communities served by the Busey organization. In addition, in 1995 they established the first named endowment to support the position of the head football coach at the University of Illinois, as well as endowing chairs in the Schools of Business and Education.
Mills is survived by his wife Cynthia (Cisty) Swain Mills, Peoria, sons David of Ft. Myers, Florida., and Rob of San Diego.
Visitation for Douglas Culver Mills will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29 at Morgan Memorial Home, Savoy. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 30 at the University of Illinois Memorial Stadium Colonnades Club. Reception immediately following.
