Frank Wallder Steketee (April 26, 1900 – December 26, 1951) was an American football player.
A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Steketee played college football as a fullback and halfback for Fielding H. Yost's 1918, 1920, and 1921 Michigan Wolverines football teams. As a freshman in 1918, he helped lead Michigan to an undefeated season and retroactive national championship and was selected by Walter Camp as a first-team player on the 1918 College Football All-America Team.
Steketee missed the 1919 season while serving in the United States Navy, but returned to the Michigan football team in 1920 and was selected as a first-team player on the 1920 All-Big Ten Conference football team. During three years at Michigan, Steketee was regarded as one of the best kickers and punters in football.
Steketee again served in the military during World War II. After his discharge, he worked as an account examiner for the finance division of Michigan Department of Highways until his death in 1951.
Early years
Steketee's grandfather, John Steketee, was part of a wave of Dutch immigration to western Michigan in the late 1840s. The family moved to Grand Rapids in 1860. Steketee's father, Jacob Steketee, studied law at the University of Michigan and then returned to Grand Rapids where he married Frances Walder.
Steketee was born to Jacob and Frances Steketee in 1900 at Grand Rapids. Steketee attended Grand Rapids Central High School where he was president of the Class of 1918, captain of the 1917 football team, and a member of the track team. The caption to his senior yearbook photograph reads: "Handsome is as handsome does."
University of Michigan
Steketee enrolled at the University of Michigan in the fall of 1918. While at Michigan, he was a member of Alpha Delta Phi, Michigamua, and the Sphinx and was chosen president of the freshman class during the 1918–1919 academic year. He graduated with the Class of 1922.
During his time at Michigan, Steketee was a star football player. There are press accounts of Steketee once having kicked a record 100-yard punt. According to one account: "I remember The Saturday Evening Post doing a writeup on U. of M. It told how Frank Steketee stood behind his own goal posts and made a punt which was picked up by the opposing team behind their goal posts." In his book on the history of Michigan football, Bruce Madej wrote: "As a result of his prodigious field goals, Stek is given credit for Michigan victories over Syracuse, Illinois and Minnesota."
While best known for his accomplishments as a football player, Steketee also competed in other sports as well. In February 1919, he registered one of the highest physical fitness scores ever recorded in testing performed by the university. He was a member of Michigan's first swimming team, swam the 20-yard freestyle event in 9-3/5 seconds, and was also a skilled diver. Although gymnastics was not yet a varsity sport, he was an accomplished gymnast, and his work on the parallel bars was credited with expanding his range of motion so that he could kick higher than his head. As a senior, he also competed on the Michigan golf team. According to one account, he also played for Michigan's hockey team. His grandson, Michigan Court of Appeals Judge David H. Sawyer, said: "He was one of these athletes who did everything."
1918 football season
As a freshman, Steketee started four games at fullback for the 1918 Michigan Wolverines football team. In a season shortened to five games due to the 1918 flu pandemic and war-related travel restrictions, the Wolverines compiled a perfect 5–0 record and have been recognized retroactively as national champions. The 1918 team shut out four of its opponents, including a 14–0 shutout over Ohio State. For the season, the team outscored all opponents by a combined total of 96 to 6.
In the opening game of the 1918 season against Case Institute of Technology, Steketee entered the game as a substitute and made an impressive debut. In a 33–0 victory, Steketee accounted for 21 points, "making three of the five touchdowns and kicking three out of five attempts at goal."