By FRED KRONER
Joe Mills remembers taking his sons and his father to Cubs baseball games at Wrigley Field.
One particular game stands out in his mind because it was the last time he accompanied his father Thomas, who is now deceased, to a game.
Chicago’s starting pitcher that day was Carlos Zambrano.
Until last Sunday, Zambrano – a three-time All-Star who won 132 career games – was the most recent Cubs’ pitcher to throw a no-hitter at Miller Park, in Milwaukee.
On Sunday (Sept. 13), 28-year-old Alec Mills – who sat with his father, brother and grandfather at Wrigley Field as a 10-year-old – fired a no-hitter at Miller Park, striking out five in the Cubs’ 12-0 win.
The no-hitter came in the 15th major league start for Alec Mills and resulted in his sixth career MLB triumph.
Joe Mills – who is the vice-president for student affairs and the director of housing at Austin Peay University – has a name that is familiar around Central Illinois.
The Rossville native played basketball and baseball for the Bobcats before graduating in 1980.
His grandfather, Frank Mills, and father owned and operated Mills Publications in Hoopeston, and put out the Chronicle newspaper.
After high school, Joe Mills enrolled at Eastern Illinois University, where he met his future wife, Patty.
A native of the DuPage County community of Glen Ellyn, Patty fit right into the athletic picture.
“Our family grew up as Cubs fans,” Joe Mills said. “The Cubs are our team.”
That included Alec Mills, who now puts on the Cubs uniform.
“He had the figurines of Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Andre Dawson and Sammy Sosa,” Joe Mills said. “He was a Cubs’ fan.”
As a high school athlete in Cunningham, Tenn., at Montgomery Central, Alec Mills played golf, basketball and baseball.
After watching his youngest son progress up from the Little League ranks, Joe Mills wasn’t even convinced that Alec’s forte was pitching.
“His best position was shortstop,” Joe Mills said.
Though the family enjoyed watching major league baseball, whether in person or on the television, thoughts of seeing their son at that level seldom entered their minds.
“When he was in high school, I’d say no, it was never a reality,” Joe Mills said.
Others felt the same way. There weren’t scholarship offers waiting for Alec Mills upon his graduation in 2009.
“He didn’t get any good offers, and wanted to do engineering, so he went to UT-Martin and was set to concentrate on his academics,” Joe Mills said. “There was no disappointment (in not having a scholarship).
“My wife and I were happy he wanted to pursue academics.”
Once he arrived on the campus, Alec Mills drove by where the baseball team was practicing one day.
“He got the itch, called the coach, said I might be able to help,” his dad related.
A tryout for walk-ons was scheduled for that week, and Alec Mills was in attendance.
“The way Alec likes to tell it, they never told him he made the team, but they kept asking him back,” Joe Mills said.
As a freshman, he pitched in an occasional game as a reliever.
By his sophomore season, he was the setup reliever for the closer.
By his junior year, Alec Mills was the team’s ace and established himself among the college’s all-time leaders in several categories.
“They were on some road trips and scouts were there looking at other guys,” Joe Mills said, “and he came on their radar.”
After his junior year at Tennessee-Martin, Alec Mills was a 22nd-round draft pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2012.
He had no guarantee of anything except an opportunity.
Alec Mills took it, leaving school about 21 hours shy of his engineering degree.
“My wife and I supported him,” said Joe Mills, who has worked at Austin Peay University for 29 years. “We didn’t push him one way or the other.
“We let him make his own path.”
A young man who was nearly finished with baseball after high school, seized the chance that was presented to him.
“Once he was drafted, he got serious about it,” Joe Mills said. “He considered himself to be the equal of the rest of the guys there (who were higher draft picks).
“He became mentally tough and confident in himself. He was structured in his workouts and dedicated himself to baseball. I’d say his body and his mind matured.”
By 2016 – some two years after undergoing Tommy John surgery – Alec Mills reached the major leagues.
“When he made his debut with the Royals (May 18, 2016), everyone (in the family) was a nervous wreck,” Joe Mills said. “Now, we’re more comfortable watching.
“I like watching better in person. You can see the mannerisms and play off the nervousness of the others around you.”
Watching in person has not been an option during the condensed 60-game major league season of 2020. There are no fans at the game, unless you count the cardboard cutouts that adorn some stadiums.
Joe and Patty Mills were home alone last Sunday (Sept. 13), watching the Cubs on television.
Family and friends sent text messages throughout the early innings of the game.
“After the seventh-inning, my phone went silent,” Joe Mills said.
He realized that the age-old adage about not saying anything late in the game of a possible no-hitter was being respected by those whom he knew.
“By the eighth and ninth innings, I was a wreck,” Joe Mills said “I got on the edge of the couch.”
When his son completed the no-hitter, it didn’t take long for Joe Mills’ phone to start lighting up.
“The outreach was unbelievable,” he said. “I had over 90 texts.”
One of the calls came from Alec Mills, who phoned during the bus ride from Milwaukee to Chicago.
“I’ve texted him after every game he has played as a professional,” Joe Mills said. “Not so much about the game, but that I’m proud of him and to keep doing what you need to do.
“When he called, he was still in disbelief.”
One of the more touching moments during the contest was the attitude of Cubs’ right fielder Jason Heyward, a multiple Gold Glove winner who asked to remain in the game during the late innings even though the outcome had been all but determined.
“He was touched that a veteran wanted to support his teammate, a guy like Alec who was making his 15th start,” Joe Mills said. “That was the coolest story. It choked him up.”
It shouldn’t have surprised him.
“When Alec was traded to the Cubs, Jason was the first to welcome him in the clubhouse (when he was called up on Aug 24, 2018) and made him feel comfortable,” Joe Mills said.
Alec Mills’ no-hitter was the second one thrown in major league baseball during the summer of 2020. That it was courtesy of a former college walk-on should give hope and inspiration to others who aspire to reach great heights.
“It’s all about perseverance and working hard,” Joe Mills said. “Alec has said if you work hard enough and don’t give up, about anything can happen.
“That’s a great story to have.”
