Louis Thomas Milder was born on July 21, 1915, inSt. Paul, Minnesota.[1] Growing up, he played football with kids older than himself as he was large for his age.[2] Midler weighed 180 pounds (82 kg) by the time he reached high school.[2] He attended Washington High School in St. Paul and is their only alumnus to play in the NFL.[3] As afreshman at Washington, Midler played every position except forquarterback andcenter.[2] He then focused on playingtackle and was regarded as one of the team's top players and was named an all-city selection.[2][4]
Midler enrolled at theUniversity of Minnesota and began playing for theirGolden Gopher football team in 1934 to fulfill a promise he made to one of their trainers.[2] He had previously, when in high school, gone to a Minnesota facility and asked for a trainer for to look at his injured shoulder.[2] He told the trainer who treated him, "You fix that shoulder up and I'll be back in a couple of years to play football for the Gophers."[2] The trainer did not take him seriously, but Midler fulfilled his promise by going out for the Minnesota football team in 1934.[2] That season, he played for thefreshman team and was considered one of its "outstanding" players; aStar Tribune reporter described him as "exceptionally powerful, fast and alert," as well as the "bestpunter at Minnesota sinceClarence Munn".[5]
Midler was selected in the fifth round (34th overall) of the1938 NFL draft by thePittsburgh Pirates but spent that year coaching the line for theOhio Wesleyan Battling Bishops.[17][18] He joined the Pirates in 1939 and became a starter at tackle, finishing the year having played all 11 games played with four starts.[19][20] He was traded to theGreen Bay Packers in exchange forHank Bruder in July 1940 and signed with the Packers the following month.[21][22] Midler played seven games for Green Bay in the 1940 season, one as a starter.[1] He was released on September 10, 1941.[23]
Midler served as alieutenant in theUnited States Navy duringWorld War II.[6][24] He later lived in St. Paul and was a member of the M Club, the Saint Paul Vulcan organization, and was president of the St. Paul Commercial Club.[16] From 1980 to 1991, he was an assistant coach for theMacalester Scots football program.[16] He had three children.[16] Midler died on August 29, 1992, in St. Paul, ofcancer.[16]
