Augustana University Athletics

Virgil never played football at Sioux Falls Washington High and was a member of the Warrior basketball team for only one year. He says "Lefty" Olson "discovered" him on the YMCA basketball court and taught him everything he ever knew about football.

He was a quick learned because he competed for four years and earned three football letters at an end position and was named to the second all-conference team in his senior year. The Wayne Sheley to Olson passing combination clicked frequently that year including long scoring strikes against Yankton, Hastings and Sioux Falls College and a 43-yard Yankton kick-off return.

He was a four year starter at guard for the Vikings in basketball beginning with his first game as a freshman and was instrumental in moving Augustana from a doormat position in the SDIC to one of respectability. The Vikings won the league championship in his sophomore year and had winning records in three of four years. Virgil was captain of the cage team in his senior year and became the fourth annual recipient of the Honor Athletic Award.

His versatility was evidenced by his winning of varsity letter in track and field as a javelin thrower in his sophomore year.

When he graduated in 1936 he was prepared to teach history and coach, but he changed his vocational plans and went to work for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. He had a career of over 29 years with the Treasury Department and retired in 1969 after serving in Washington, Detroit, Cleveland, Seattle and as chief of the Delinquent Returns Branch of the IRS in Portland, Oregon.