Morrill, William K., Sr.

Johns Hopkins University
1962

Born in Baltimore on December 15, 1903, William Kelso Morrill, Sr., attended Baltimore City College, graduating in 1921. He then went on to Johns Hopkins University, receiving a BA degree in 1925, an MA degree in 1927, and a Ph.D.in 1929. Morrill became an Associate Professor of Mathematics in 1950 and was appointed to be Dean of Students in 1959. Morrill is a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity, Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Society, Sigma Xi Scientific Society, American Mathematic Society, and Mathematical Association of America, and is the Hopkins representative to the Board of Directors of the YMCA.

At Hopkins, he won four letters in lacrosse, helping the 1925 team win the Silver Medal, and the 1926 and '27 teams win national championships. After finishing his college career, he played for the Mt. Washington Club and the Baltimore Olympic Club, and started his coaching at the old Marstons School. He also coached at Park School and Towson High School before becoming affiliated with the coaching staff at Hopkins. His coaching career at Hopkins was extremely successful, helping the Blue Jays win national championships in 1932-34, '41 and '50.

Morrill's interest in lacrosse did not stop with his coaching. He was one of the most active members of the USILA in the history of the association. He coached for a period of 25 years, officiated for 10 years, and served as president of the Southern Lacrosse Officials Association for one year. He was chairman of the following committees of USILA: All-American Committee '56-58; Coach of the Year Committee '60-81; Championship Committee '60-62; Film Committee since 1951. He was a member of the Executive Board of the USILA and is at present a member of the Lacrosse Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. He served on the Rules Committee on several occasions and will be chairman of this group in 1964. He has coached several all-star prep school teams and has served as head coach of the North-South Game.

Morrill directed two educational films, "How to Play Lacrosse" and "Fouls of Lacrosse." He participated in making "File 7," a television picture on Hopkins lacrosse. He made many talks to high school students in both Baltimore City and Baltimore County on the game of lacrosse. In 1953 he received the trophy awarded to the man who had done the most for lacrosse. He also received the Kelly Post Award for the Baltimore Citizen who has contributed a great deal to lacrosse over the years. He authored a book called Lacrosse, which was published by the Barnes Company in 1951.

Morrill married Mary Clare Kirk in 1934, and they had two children, William Kelso Morrill, Jr., who was an All-American at Hopkins in 1957-59. Bill graduated from Hopkins and also the Harvard Business School and is a 1st Lieutenant in the Army Reserve. Their daughter, Jean Elizabeth, is married to Mr. Barry Carr.

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