May 31, 2006
Normal, Ill. -
From small town boy to pitcher and team manager ... from teacher and coach, to attorney and judge ... the path of success for Chief U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. McCuskey has been paved by his dedication to teamwork and marked by his ability to value people above all.
A native of Sparland, a small town in Marshall County, Illinois, McCuskey has built a career on old-fashioned values learned at Illinois State University.
"One thing that I learned was that, once I put the uniform on, it was time to go to work," McCuskey said. "I feel that is the way it is in life. Whether it was the athletic uniform or the judge's robe, once I put it on I know it's time to get my business done."
He helped the Redbirds win the 1969 NCAA College Division (now Division II) Baseball Championship, the only team national title in Redbird history. Once a high-quality lefthanded pitcher whose Illinois State career was short-circuited by an arm injury, McCuskey stayed on as a student manager and assistant to head coach Duffy Bass after his injury and, more than 35 years later, realizes the value of being part of a team.
"It is like a relay, everyone counts," McCuskey said. "And if you treat your people like a team, everyone will know that everyone is important. Everyone brings something special to the team and if you lose one you will not be as efficient."
Bass, the winningest coach in Illinois State history, mentored Redbird baseball from 1963-88, He recruited McCuskey as a pitcher.
"Mike was a small-town guy, but a pretty intelligent guy and a terrific athlete when he came to Illinois State," Bass said. "He could dunk a basketball and was an exceptionally-talented left-handed pitcher. He hurt his arm and, basically, his pitching career was over. But that didn't stop him from staying with the team as our manager, scorekeeper and general assistant who contributed a lot to our success."
McCuskey graduated from Illinois State in 1970, and, like many of his era, began a career as a high school teacher and coach. But the lure of the law was too great: McCuskey was accepted to the Saint Louis University School of Law in 1972, graduated in 1975 and, returning to his small-town roots, started practicing law in Lacon where he became a partner in the firm of Pace, McCuskey and Galley from 1975 to 1988.
In 1988, McCuskey was elected Circuit Judge of the 10th Judicial Circuit and assigned to felony court in Peoria. Two years later, he was elected to the Third District Appellate Court in1990 and served in the appellate court until his appointment to the federal bench in 1998. He became chief judge in December, 2004.
McCuskey's success as an attorney and judge is no surprise to his former coach.
"First of all, Mike is a loyal guy who earns people's respect by stepping up when people need his help," Bass said. "In his legal career and as a judge, he has known how to get close to good people who have been interested in helping him reach his goals and take the next step. People are supportive of Mike because he supports them."
Current Redbird head baseball coach Jim Brownlee was a teammate of McCuskey's on the 1969 championship team. The two remain friends and Brownlee has a high regard for the example McCuskey has set during his legal career.
"We had a lot of guys on those (late 1960s) teams who have been very successful in life," said Brownlee. "Mike certainly is one of those guys and he has been successful because he has always set his goals very high, and he has the ability to bounce back when things are difficult."
McCuskey still values his days at ISU.
"I think athletics and my ISU experience helped me get focused," McCuskey said. "It taught me teamwork, follow the rules, work hard, and do not expect to succeed every time and that over time, success will come. I learned to become focused, prepared and efficient. I learned to be part of a team."
Today, McCuskey is part of another team for his alma mater--helping lead the University as a member of the Illinois State University Board of Trustees. He believes in Illinois State as much today as he did as a freshman 40 years ago.
"I think ISU is an outstanding educational school with a great campus, faculty and facilities," Chief Judge McCuskey said. "It is a great place to nurture and mold students and athletes. If you look at our faculty, they have great qualifications. We have educated people teaching people who want to be educated. It is a wonderful place to be."
Brownlee appreciates McCuskey's loyalty ... right down to the judge's passionate cheering from the Redbird Arena stands at Illinois State basketball games.
"He's a trustee, so, in a way, he is our boss," said Brownlee. "But really, nobody is a more loyal Redbird fan than Mike. He is a huge fan. He also has been a good friend ... like a lot of our teammates."
Brownlee described the unique relationships among those former Redbird baseball student-athletes from his playing era.
"Sometimes, we don't see each other for a year or more, but it's like we just saw each other last week," said Brownlee. "Mike, and a lot of us, have that kind of relationship. It's pretty special."
Bass saw something special in McCuskey--a quality which defines the judge's success.
"I think he is one of those guys who really personifies the idea that, if you work hard and dedicate yourself in sports, you will understand what it takes to be successful in all aspects of life," Bass said. "In Mike's case, he has always had a knack for understanding and appreciating people. It's a pretty simple idea, but he makes it work."
