I was very pleased to be asked to write a foreword to Dr. Rob Robertson's excellent online book, www.centrewonderteam.com.
I feel it is essential to first mention the history about the author and why the book was written.
Dr. Robertson is a 1963 graduate of Centre. He comes from a long line of Centre graduates beginning with Judge Charles Godfrey Wintersmith who entered Centre in 1829, 10 years after the founding of the college. His two brothers attended Centre as well as a sister-in-law and his son, Robert Wintersmith Robertson III.
However, the fact that his father and two uncles were on the Centre campus in the 1920's, which was Centre's "Golden Age" of college football, is what created his 20-year interest in writing about those almost unbelievable achievements during 1919-24 when Centre was ranked overall as the number 1 college football power in the nation, ( Chapter 129 ).
Notre Dame was number 2.
Dr. Robertson first utilized the memorabilia and memories of his father and uncles along with extensive research to publish a hardcopy book, "The Wonder Team," in 2008, and then was the Executive Producer of a KET documentary of the same name which was shown multiple times in 2010. Now he has expanded the book significantly by including additional material and over 1200 photographs, many first published.
I was honored to become Centre's 21st president in July, 2020, after being at Rhodes College for 17 years as a faculty member and Vice President of Academic Affairs. During that time, I became very aware of Centre College's athletic program due to the two colleges being members of the same Division III, Southern Athletic Association.
While I was aware of Centre's modern-day athletic excellence when I arrived in Danville in 2020, I wasn't fully aware of its storied football history achieved over a century ago until reading Dr. Robertson's wonderful telling of the story. Now I know, and I encourage anyone who has any interest in the history of college football, not only that of Centre, but the great game of football, to read this fascinating book.
Centre has long achieved recognition as a top-rated liberal arts college for exceptional academic excellence, a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio with a close faculty mentorship, and a 2026 U.S. News ranking of #20 for Best Value and # 21 for Undergraduate Teaching, along with being a top school in the nation for study abroad opportunities.
Centre has it all, a legendary history, an envied present, and a future which guarantees excellence in all of its endeavors.
Milton C. Moreland, PhD
President of Centre College of Kentucky