Bilbo (Mule) Monaghan was born on June 23, 1910, in Amory, Mississippi.

Monaghan attended high school at the Mississippi School for the Deaf. While attending MSD, he played every sport the high school offered. He graduated early in 1927 at the age of 15.

He attended Gallaudet College from 1927- 1932. While there, he played football, baseball, basketball, and track. He was the captain of the multi-university all-star team. He also was school champion in swimming and heavyweight wrestling. He was named to Gallaudet’s all-time football team.

He played professional football with the Memphis Tigers in 1932. He was the first ever-deaf player to play an entire season in professional football.

After a short professional career, he coached at his alma mater, the Mississippi School for the Deaf from 1933- 1946. During his entire coaching career, Monaghan’s teams lost only one game to another school for the deaf.

He was inducted into the Mississippi School for the Deaf Hall of Fame, Gallaudet College Hall of Fame, and the National Deaf Hall of Fame. He was President of the Mississippi Association for the Deaf. He was a self-taught lithographer, a master printer, a skilled hunter, and an expert woodworker. In 1951, he and his wife Patricia became the first deaf parents to adopt hearing children.

Monaghan passed away on February 10, 1993, at the age of 82.