1937 Michigan Wolverines football team
| 1937 Michigan Wolverines football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| 1937 record | 4–4 (3–3 Big Ten) |
| Head coach | Harry Kipke (9th year) |
| MVP | Ralph Heikkinen |
| Captain | Joe Rinaldi |
| Home stadium | Michigan Stadium |
| 1937 Big Ten football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #5 Minnesota † | 5 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| #13 Ohio State | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 2 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 2 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 2 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 3 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chicago | 0 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 0 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| † – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 1937 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1937 college football season. The team's head coach was Harry Kipke. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent# | Rank# | Site | Result | Attendance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2, 1937 | Michigan State* | Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI | L 14–19 | 63,311 | ||||
| October 9, 1937 | at Northwestern | Dyche Stadium • Evanston, IL | L 0–7 | 23,837 | ||||
| October 16, 1937 | Minnesota |
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI | L 6–39 | 53,266 | ||||
| October 23, 1937 | at Iowa | Iowa Stadium • Iowa City, IA | W 7–6 | 12,211 | ||||
| October 30, 1937 | at Illinois | Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL | W 7–6 | 32,506 | ||||
| November 6, 1937 | Chicago | Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI | W 13–12 | 23,394 | ||||
| November 13, 1937 | at Penn* | Franklin Field • Philadelphia, PA | W 7–0 | 18,476 | ||||
| November 20, 1937 | #19 Ohio State | Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI | L 0–21 | 56,766 | ||||
| *Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. | ||||||||
Players
Varsity letter winners
The following 26 players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1937 Michigan football team.[1] For players who were starters, the list also includes the number of games started by position.[2]
- William C. Barclay, quarterback, senior, Flint, Michigan - started 3 games at right halfback
- John Brennan, guard, junior, Racine, Wisconsin - started 7 games at left guard
- Robert D. Campbell, halfback, senior, Ionia, Michigan
- Douglas Farmer, fullback, senior, Hinsdale, Illinois - started 8 games at quarterback
- Elmer Gedeon, end, junior, Cleveland, Ohio - started 2 games at left end
- Ralph Heikkinen, guard, junior, Ramsay, Michigan - started 7 games at right guard
- Fred Janke, fullback, junior, Jackson, Michigan - started 2 games at left tackle
- Archie Kodros, center/guard, sophomore, Alton, Illinois - started 7 games at center
- Louis Levine, quarterback, junior, Muskegon Heights, Michigan
- Earl B. Luby, tackle, senior, Chicago, Illinois
- George A. Marzonie, guard, senior, Flint, Michigan[3] - started 1 game at right guard
- John E. Nicholson, Jr., end, junior, Elkhart, Indiana - started 6 games at left end, 1 game at right end
- Frederick C. "Fred" Olds, guard/tackle, junior, East Lansing, Michigan - started 1 game at left guard
- Ernest A. Pederson, guard, senior, Grand Blanc, Michigan
- Norman B. "Norm" Purucker, halfback, Poland, Ohio - started 1 game at right halfback
- Hercules Renda, halfback, sophomore, Jochin, West Virginia - started 3 games at right halfback
- Joseph M. Rinaldi, center, senior, Elkhart, Indiana[4] - started 8 games at center
- Stark Ritchie, halfback, senior, Battle Creek, Michigan - started 1 game at center; 3 games at left halfback
- Roland Savilla, tackle, sophomore, Gallagher, West Virginia[5] - started 2 games at right tackle
- Donald J. "Don" Siegel, tackle, junior, Royal Oak, Michigan - started 6 games at left tackle
- Dan Smick, end, junior, Hazel Park, Michigan - started 6 games at right end
- William A. Smith, tackle, sophomore, Riverside, California - started 6 games at right tackle
- Edward Stanton, fullback, junior, Charleston, West Virginia - started 7 games at fullback
- Fred Trosko, halfback, sophomore, Flint, Michigan - started 5 games at left halfback
- Arthur Valpey, end, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started 1 game at right end
- Clarence H. Vandewater, guard, junior, Holland, Michigan
Varsity reserve
The following players were identified as varsity reserves on the roster of the 1937 Michigan football team.[1]
- Harold Floersch, end, junior, Wyandotte, Michigan
- R. Wallace Hook, Jr., halfback, junior, East Grand Rapids, Michigan
- John H. Kinsey, fullback, sophomore, Plymouth, Michigan - started 1 game at fullback
- Dennis A. Kuhn, tackle, sophomore, River Rouge, Michigan
- Derwood D. Laskey, halfback, sophomore, Milan, Michigan
- Harry K. Mulholland, fullback, sophomore, Bay City, Michigan
- Norman J. Nickerson, fullback, junior, Detroit, Michigan
- Robert P. Piotrowski, halfback, junior, Manistee, Michigan
- Joseph C. Rogers, end, sophomore, Royal Oak, Michigan
- Horace Tinker, center, sophomore, Battle Creek, Michigan
- Frederick C. Ziem, guard, senior, Pontiac, Michigan
All-freshman team
The 1937 all-freshman team included a nucleus of players, including Tom Harmon and Forest Evashevski, that would propel Michigan to the top tier of college football programs when Fritz Crisler took over as head coach in 1938.
- Pierce Barker, Detroit, Michigan
- Richard C. Bennett, Springfield, Illinois
- Irwin S. Clamage, Detroit, Michigan
- George L. Clark, Carthage, Illinois
- Edward W. Czak, Elyria, Ohio
- Forest Evashevski, Detroit, Michigan
- Thomas G. Ford, East Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Harlin E. Fraumann, Pontiac, Michigan
- Ralph Fritz, New Kensington, Pennsylvania
- William H. Gambill, Centralia, Illinois
- Jack D. Grant, Chicago, Illinois
- Tom Harmon, Gary, Indiana
- William J. Hermann, Detroit, Michigan
- Robert Horst, Detroit, Michigan
- Reuben Kelto, Bessemer, Michigan
- Thomas P. Kieckhefer, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Harry E. Kohl, Dayton, Ohio
- Paul Kromer, Lorain, Ohio
- Robert E. Larkin, Oak Park, Illinois
- Blaz A. Lucas, Jr., Gary, Indiana
- George S. Manolakas, Detroit, Michigan
- Howard H. Mehaffey, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Jack Meyer, Elyria, Ohio
- James R. Miller, Highland Park, Michigan
- Charles E. Norton, Lawrenceburg, Tennessee
- Arthur Paddy, Benton Harbor, Michigan
- Lester Persky, Cleveland Heights, Ohio
- Richard G. Pugh, Detroit, Michigan
- Charles R. Ross, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Robert S. Ross, Menasha, Wisconsin
- Melvin S. Schlemenson, Memphis, Tennessee
- Robert M. Seltzer, Chicago, Illinois
- Edward Shelberg, Lansing, Michigan
- Jacob Speelman, Jr., Lansing, Michigan
- Dave Strong, Helena, Montana
- George S. Thomas, Detroit, Michigan
- William E. Vollmer, Manistee, Michigan
- Colin C. Weymouth, Detroit, Michigan
Awards and honors
- Captain: Joe Rinaldi
- All-Conference: Ralph Heikkinen
- Most Valuable Player: Ralph Heikkinen
- Meyer Morton Award: Fred Trosko
Coaching staff
- Head coach: Harry Kipke
- Assistant coaches: Heartley "Hunk" Anderson, Franklin Cappon, Bennie Oosterbaan, Walter Weber
- Trainer: Ray Roberts
- Manager: Fred Colombo, John Fecknay (assistant), Ralph Dubois (assistant), Warren Slater (assistant), Philip Woodworth (assistant)
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "University of Michigan Football Rosters: 1937". Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.
- ↑ "1937 Football Team". Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan.
- ↑ George Alexander Marzonie, born July 31, 1916, dies November 11, 1994, last residence Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
- ↑ Joseph M. Rinaldi, born May 8, 1916, died April 3, 1990, last residence West Palm Beach, Florida
- ↑ Roland Savilla, born May 13, 1916, died February 7, 2005, SSN issued Michigan, last residence Saint Albans, West Virginia