Vern McMillan may be one of the most colorful citizens Terre Haute has produced. A native of Morrill, Kansas, McMillan visited his Uncle Ed Sayer’s bicycle shop at Fourth and Ohio Streets during his youth. After a notable athletic career at Baker University in Kansas, where he as quarterback and captain of the football squad and state record-holder in the 440 yard dash, McMillan made Terre Haute his permanent home.
He wasted little time gaining recognition. In 1915, the year he graduated from college, he became the first person to ascend the steep Vigo County Courthouse steps on a motorcycle. The Indian Motorcycle Company made his feat the thrust of a national advertising campaign. McMillan then publicly challenged world champion motorcyclist, "Cannonball" Baker, sprinting 440 yards faster than Baker could motor a mile. Next, he met and conquered a racehorse in the 100-yard dash.
After completing World War I service, he formed a sporting goods company in Terre Haute, McMillan Athletic Goods, which later became McMillan Sports. Soon, he was an industry leader by designing the first football face mask, originating the size coding for athletic socks, and inventing a basketball inflator that secured universal approval.
His slogan, "It pays to play", was first used in 1931, becoming the National Sporting Goods Association’s official credo. The NSGA inducted him into its Hall of Fame as America’s premier amateur sports promoter.
When his wife, LaVerne, was killed in an automobile accident, he initiated The LaVerne McMillan Award to be accorded annually to Vigo County’s outstanding high school male and female athlete.
In 1942 Vern was elected mayor on the Republican ticket. During his term, after a polite warning, he shut down the city’s notorious "red light district" to attract war ordinance facilities.
To save local pro baseball, McMillan became par owner of Terre Haute’s Three-I League franchise while also serving as league president.
After his death on December 1, 1968, at the age of 76, the county’s most coveted high school athletic award was perpetuated as the Vernon R. And LaVerne K. McMillan Award.