The Toledo City Athletic League has inducted former Waite father and son golfers, Milton E. Carswell Sr. and Milton E. Carswell Jr., into its Hall of Fame. The Carswells are two of five Waite graduates inducted.

For decades, Milton Carswell Sr. was generally regarded as the best golfer to play for Morrison R. Waite High. While playing for Waite, he was selected first team All-City for three consecutive years. Milt Sr. also played basketball for four years, earning the best free throw shooter award.

In 1966, he placed second in the United Golf Association Junior National Tournament in Waukegan, Illinois. He was also named United Golf Association Junior Golfer of the Year and qualified for the Ohio State Jaycees at Ottawa Park Golf Course. He also won his first United Golf Association golf tournament at Warren Valley Golf Course that year.

Upon his graduation from Waite in June of 1967, Milton enrolled at Central State University and transferred to the University of Toledo, where he played on the freshman golf team. As a result of his competitive play, he was invited to become a member of the prestigious Stroh’s Golf Team. Traveling with the Stroh’s Team, he won the United Golf Association national tournament in New Haven, Connecticut, and the same tournament in Tarpon Springs, Florida, in 1979. He also won the National Publiclinx Qualifier at Ottawa Park Golf Course.

As a fierce competitor, Milton took first place honors at the Toledo Midwestern Golf Tournament, the Detroit Amateur, and the Dayton Fairway Vehicle Classic in Flint, Michigan.

At the Torrey Pines Golf Club in San Diego, Milt ranked fifth in the United States Golf Association. He won the Midwest District Tournament at Raisin River Golf Club and TOT’s at Raymond Memorial Golf Club in Columbus. The Chronicle League bestowed Player of the Year honors upon Milt.

Milton has been a golf pro at Collins Park Golf Course in East Toledo and at the Palmer Park Golf Club in Detroit. He has served as golf coach at several high schools in the Toledo area, including Spencer-Sharples, Scott, Cardinal Stritch, and Waite. Over the years, many of his individual players have received POY honors.

Milt Sr. was inducted into the Waite High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998 and into the Birmingham Hall of Fame. He recently retired from Toledo Public Schools, where he was employed 38 years as a security specialist. He is married to Ginger and together they have two children, Danielle and Milton Jr., and four grandchildren.

Milton Carswell Jr. became a competitive golfer at a young age. At the age of nine, he was playing, and winning.

For years, his father Milt Sr., was recognized as the as Waite’s best golfer ever, but Milt Jr. rivalled his father’s reputation and became the best player in his era.

Playing competitively for Waite, Milt Jr. won 45 tournaments. The list of wins posted during the summer of 1996 includes medalist honors (70) at the Toledo Junior Invitational at the Toledo Country Club. He won the Toledo Minority Tournament at Ottawa Park Golf Course (140), the National Minority College Championship in Cleveland (142), and the PGA Northwest Ohio Tourney at South Toledo Golf Course (142).

His score of 148 at the Midwest District National Championship at Kitty Hawk Golf Club qualified him for the Maxfli Tournament in West Palm Beach, Florida. Milt Jr. won four TMGA Minority Championships at Ottawa Park Golf Course.

During the summer, Milt Jr. played in the Toledo Junior Golf Association League and in 1996 and ’97, he received the Paul Hahn Award for Sportsman of the Year. In 1997, he was named Co-Player of the Year, winning the Frank Stranahan Award.

Carswell Jr. is also the last Waite golfer to qualify for the Division I state tournament in 1996. Milton Jr. received a golf scholarship to attend Jackson State University where he played four years. In 1998, he was Freshman of the Year in the Southwest Atlantic Conference. His team won four SWAC championships and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Milt Jr. was named to the All-SWAC Team four consecutive eyars.

After college, he became the assistant golf professional at South Toledo Golf Course under Greg Fish. He went on to take the assistant pro position at Stone Oak Country Club and is now a member of the Taylor Made staff. Milt Jr. became a Class A professional in 2010.

As the Waite golf coach, Carswell Jr. coached Tom Duris, a first-team All-CL for four straight years (2007, ’08) who became just the second Waite golfer to earn league player of the year honors. Matt Yenrick won the honor in 2000.

A hardworking, dedicated individual who loves sports, Milt Jr. was inducted into the Birmingham Hall of Fame in 2002. He was awarded the Thomas J. Lipton Sportsman Award by the Boys and Girls Club.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed