A key member of the famous ‘Big Ten’ who started the Guelph Biltmore Hockey Club in 1947, Mickey McMillan stayed with the team as its treasurer until it was sold to the New York Rangers in 1960. The 1951-52 Biltmore Madhatters won the Memorial Cup, but the Biltmores also won the OHA championship in 1949-50 and 1955-56 sending many players to the NHL in the process.
Most people would slot McMillan into the ‘builder’ category, but in fact he was a tremendous hockey player in his day. He was a member of the 1929-30 Guelph Maple Leafs who won the Royal City’s one and only professional hockey championship when they played in the Canadian Professional Hockey League. A Guelph Mercury report from December 10, 1929 reads … “the past two winters have found (McMillan) in the line-up of the Intermediates and he has been one of the best players who ever wore a Guelph uniform.”
Mr. McMillan contributed to minor hockey in Guelph and coached the OVC hockey team in the mid-1930’s at the University of Guelph. He was also very involved at the Cutten Club where he was President and Director for 28 years. While in that post he started a Junior golf program which is still bringing young golfers closer to the game today.
One of Mickey McMillan’s favourite sayings sums up the way he felt about sports in his community “Get involved in sports and you can’t go wrong!”
Inducted into the Guelph Sports Hall of Fame April 29, 1996
