Hall of Fame
A junior college transfer, Max J. Volcansek had an enormous impact on the success of the entire athletic program in his two years at Macalester.
Volcansek came to Macalester from Eveleth Junior College in the fall of 1934. Despite the fact that the Scots had nine lettermen returning in basketball, he immediately cracked the team's starting five and helped lead the club to a second-place finish in the final conference team standings. He was named to the all-conference squad the next year when the Scots missed the league title by just a few percentage points.
Despite weighing only 135 pounds, Volcansek started as a blocker for the Scots football team as a senior in 1935, before a knee injury sent him to the sidelines. In the spring of 1935 and 1936, the gifted athlete lettered on the Scots tennis team. The 1935 squad captured the state conference title.
"Max was an inspirational player who possessed, besides great athletic ability, the leadership qualities which fired up the team when it appeared that the breaks weren't going their way," said Harlan "Sempty" Westrell '36.
In addition to his intercollegiate success, Volcansek won the handball singles championship and was high point man in track in intramural competition in 1936. In his "spare time," the sociology major was president of the Hyperian Society, vice president of the M Club, a member of the Education and Modern Language clubs, and active in the senior play.
Volcansek landed a job as a teacher and coach at Buffalo (Minn.) High School, but resigned before he even started, to go to Pensacola, Fla., for flight instruction. Revealing his outstanding leadership capabilities, he was a player/coach for the Naval Air Station basektball team that won 30 straight games and captured the SWAAU championship in New Orleans.
During World War II, Volcansek commanded a fighter squadron in the South Pacific; he was the youngest commander in the Marine Corps. During the Korean conflict, he was commanding officer of a Marine night fighting squadron. While making a raid on North Korean headquarters in Seoul one day, he was forced to bail out of his plane after being hit by anti-aircraft fire. He was rescued and brought to safety by helicopter.
Volcansek also served as assistant to the Chief of Staff G-3 of Fleet Marine Force Pacific, director of the Junior School in Quantico, and commanding officer of Marine Air Group 3, a component of the first Marine Brigade in Hawaii. In his illustrious military career, he was decorated with the Silver Star Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, nine Air Medals, the Purple Heart, and a host of other awards and honors.
Upon retiring, Volcansek worked for Texas Instruments in Dallas before spending 21 years with Equitable Life Insurance of the U.S. He retired again, but still represents the Marine Corps in a variety of duties and participates in many community activities.
Volcansek and his wife, the former Mildred Marble '33, make their home in Dallas. He lists "meeting and winning her" as one of the most memorable experiences of his college days.
While visiting his aunt in Chicago back in 1930, Volcansek had his tea leaves read one afternoon. All the reader could see in his cup, he said, was the letter "M" - Macalester College, Mildred Marble, Marine Corps. Said Volcansek: "I'd say the letter "M" was an important part of my life."
