The Washington Huskies’ original “Captain Husky”, Vic Markov, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame who starred as an offensive and defensive lineman at the University of Washington from 1935 to 1937. UW’s original Croatian Sensation, Markov earned 9 letters between football, track and field, and wrestling.
Born in 1916 in Chicago to Croatian immigrant parents, he played football at Lindblom High School. Dr. Alfred Strauss, a Washington alumnus in Chicago, had recruited Vic’s brother Ted to Washington the year before. In his final two years Vic was honored as All-American tackle his last two years and played in the 1937 Rose Bowl.
He captained the All-American team who included future Pro Football Hall of Famer, Sammy Baugh who defeated the NFL Champion Green Bay Packers. In the 1938 NFL draft he was taken with the 26th pick. The first All-Star team to win was the 1937 squad, coached by Gus Dorais, which won 6–0 over Curly Lambeau’s Green Bay Packers. The only score came on a 47-yard touchdown pass from Baugh to Gaynell Tinsley.
Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1976, the two-time All-American was a unanimous choice as a lineman on Washington’s Centennial Team.
“The NFL didn’t pay much in those days and was going to be working in the private sector,” said his son Rick Markov, who also played for the Huskies. “Then he was drafted by the military in 1939.”
Vic, again rose to captain, leading a tank battalion in World War II, under General George Patton in the Third Armyl. for whom he led a tank division into Normandy. He became highly decorated after the Battle of the Bulge with a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.
As a soldier, was also awarded 5 battle stars for service in other major battles. He helped to turn the into the favor of the Allies. He he led a reconnaissance mission outside Berlin that helped to take down Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime.
“He actually never made it to Berlin,” Rick said. “His job was to penetrate deep into enemy territory to gather vital information and report it to his chain of command.”
In doing so, he was instrumental in bringing an end to World War 2.
After his time in the service, he returned home to Seattle, set up a tire business and was a leader in Washington alumni affairs. He founded the Vic Markov Scholarship Fund. This awarded scholarships to University of Washington applicants. Markov died December 7, 1998 at the age of 82.
