McKendree University Athletics

Burton earned seven letters: four in basketball, one each in baseball, track and tennis. In basketball Burton’s floor game and offensive abilities included an exceptional hook shot and an extraordinary ability to find the open man. Playing center position, he averaged 9.0 rebounds and 8.9 points per game his senior year. During Burton’s four years of play, the Bearcats posted an 81-28 record and won the Church College Conference title in 1952. He was a team captain his senior year and was selected for the Prairie College All-Conference Team in 1953 and 1954. Burton was instrumental in bringing baseball back to McKendree as a varsity sport his senior year. A star hitter and infielder at Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Mo., Burton turned down a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals to pursue a pre-medicine degree at McKendree. As captain, he anchored the infield at shortstop position. Burton finished the team’s first season with a .459 batting average and led in runs batted in. Burton threw the javelin for the track team and played on the tennis team during the team’s startup years.