“Wild Bill” McKalip (June 5, 1907 – July 11, 1993) played at Oregon State from 1928-30, enjoyed four successful seasons in the NFL, and then returned to Corvallis as an assistant coach.
Born in Pittsburgh, PA, McKalip played halfback at OSU, helping the Beavers to a combined 18-10 record, including a 25-13 upset of New York University in 1928, and a 14-7 upset of Detroit the following season. The Beavers are frequently credited with being the first Western school to travel to the East for a game and won despite being a 3-to-1 underdog. Their win over Detroit snapped that team’s 22-game winning streak.
As a senior, McKalip earned All-Pacific Coast Conference First Team, Associated Press All-Northwest First Team, and United Press International All-Coast Second Team honors. He played in East-West Shrine Game in 1930.
McKalip signed with the Portsmouth, OH Spartans for the 1931 and ’32 NFL seasons, and, after the franchise became the Detroit Lions, played in 1934. After a season off, spent as a sportswriter, he returned for one more season, 1936. In his four seasons, the team finished second in the league or conference twice and third the other two seasons.
McKalip returned to OSU as an assistant coach to Lon Stiner from 1937-41 and also served as an assistant in the basketball program. He was inducted to the Oregon State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1990.